Which cell adhesion receptor is expressed on the surface of endothelial cells during an inflammatory response?

During an inflammatory response, selectins are key cell adhesion receptors that are expressed on the surface of endothelial cells. These receptors play a crucial role in mediating the initial interactions between circulating leukocytes (white blood cells) and the endothelium.

Selectins facilitate the rolling of leukocytes along the vascular endothelium, allowing them to slow down and prepare for more firm adhesion and subsequent migration through the endothelium into inflamed tissues. This is an essential step in the immune response, where leukocytes are recruited to sites of infection or injury to exert their functions effectively.

In contrast, while cadherins are primarily involved in cell-cell adhesion in tissue maintenance and integrity, integrins are important for firm adhesion and are typically engaged after the initial selectin-mediated rolling. The immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) also plays a role in cell adhesion processes but is not the primary receptor used during the early stages of the inflammatory response in endothelial cells. Thus, selectins are specifically and crucially involved in the dynamics of inflammation by enabling leukocyte trafficking.