Morphological and biochemical responses of leukocytes in chemokinesis and chemotaxis

Abstract

Morphological changes associated with leukocyte chemokinesis and chemotaxis are briefly described. Leukocyte stimulation by chemokinetic and chemotactic factors (cytotaxins) elicits various biochemical responses including ligand-receptor interactions, ion fluxes, alterations in phospholipid and arachidonic acid metabolism, cyclic nucleotides, protein phosphorylation and reorganization of the cytoskeleton. These biochemical processes may be related to signal transduction, the effector mechanisms of directional locomotion or possibly other leukocyte responses which occur in parallel.