L-selectin is a member of the selectin family of glycoprotein adhesion and homing receptors that recognize sialyated carbohydrate groups and regulate lymphocyte-endothelial cell interactions. It is a type I transmembrane cell adhesion molecule (CAM) and is constitutively expressed on all classes of circulating leukocytes including lymphocytes (excluding memory T-cells), monocytes, and polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells. L-selectin is also expressed on bone marrow myeloid progenitor cells, erythroid precursor cells, and some thymocytes. Knockout mice studies implicate L-selectin in health and disease conditions – leukocyte recruitment to lymph nodes, acute and chronic inflammation, etc.
A detailed overview of the L-selectin signaling cascade (including currently identified and known binding partners) hints at the complexity of both the adhesion cascade, and the key role of L-selectin in physiological processes such as leukocyte adhesion and transmigration1. Bendas et al explore the role of CAMS - such as selectins and integrins – in cancer cell adhesion and metastasis, with an emphasis on how heparin may actually serve to inhibit and interfere with these classes of CAMS2. Their review nicely summarizes models on tumor cell interactions in the vasculature and what type of multi-functional role heparin may play in modulating such tumor progression. In addition, recent years in gastroenterology research have focused on the role of adhesion molecules in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease (CD). Lazebnik’s group feels that inflammation markers such as L-selectin, P-selectin, E-selectin, and integrin-sVCAM-1 may be valuable tools in not only assessing the efficacy of standard vs biological therapies for IBD patients, but also in predicting outcome3.
Novus Biologicals offers L-Selectin/CD62L reagents for your research needs including:
PMIDs
