ABSTRACT
Cell adhesion is a most fascinating and complex process. It is regulated by a subtle interplay of specific receptor-mediated lock and key forces, a phalanx of interfacial forces, and, most important, by the membrane elasticity. This competition of forces and elasticity is illustrated in Fig. 1. Adhesion is further complicated by the fact that, in general, it is accompanied by lateral phase separation, which results in a clustering of receptors. An example of this effect is the formation of focal adhesion plaques during adhesion of fibroblasts. It appears obvious that such a complex process requires control by simple principles of regulation and that their understanding demands detailed experimental and theoretical studies.
