A first aim of our laboratory is to study the functional role of dynamic interactions among vascular endothelial adhesion molecules (ICAMs, VCAM-1, integrin/tetraspanin complexes), regulatory molecules (tyrosine kinase Syk), and cytoskeletal components (ERM proteins) that orchestrate leukocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration.
Our laboratory has contributed in recent years to: 1) identification and establishment of cell surface receptors as markers for the two poles of a polarized migrating leukocyte; chemokine receptors at the leading edge, and adhesion receptors ICAMs at the uropod; 2) chemokines as the physiologic mediators of leukocyte polarization prior to cell migration; 3) membrane receptor-cytoskeletal interactions that drive cell polarity; chemokine receptor connection with the acto-myosin system, and adhesion molecules ICAMs, PSGL-1 and VCAM-1 interaction with ERM actin-binding proteins.