Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions - lessons from knockout mice

Abstract

The advent of gene targeting has led to the generation of several mouse strains deficient in select leukocyte adhesion receptors. These strains of mice have been very informative about the roles of cell adhesion molecules in leukocyte-endothelium interaction and have produced some surprises: roles for leukocyte adhesion receptors have been demonstrated in development as well as pathologies like obesity, and evidence for functional synergies between adhesion receptors have been provided. We attempt in this review to first outline the technique of gene targeting and give an overview of leukocyte adhesion receptors and mice deficient in these receptors. Second, we discuss models of experimental glomerulonephritis and what we have learned about leukocyte adhesion receptors in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis through studies in knockout mice.