Synonyms
Chemotactic factors, chemotaxins.
Definition
Lipid molecules or peptides that induce directed migration of cells.
Full Text
Chemoattractants share the common property of inducing directed migration of cells. Binding of chemoattractant to cell surface receptors triggers the activation of cellular cytoskeletal events that result in the migration of cells in the direction of highest concentration of the chemoattractant. Chemoattractants include bacterial peptides (formylated methionine-leucine-phenylalanine), products of complement activation (C5a), extracellular matrix degradation products (laminin digests), arachidonic acid metabolites (leukotriene B4), other lipid mediators (platelet activating factors), and a large number of small molecular weight (<10kd) cytokines (CC, C-X-C, C-X-C3, and C chemokines). A given cell type may respond to one or more chemoattractant agents for which it expresses cell surface receptors.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Taub DD (1996) C-C chemokines–an overview. In: Koch AE, Strieter RM (eds) Chemokines in Disease. RG Landes, Austin p 27
Walz A, Kunkel SL, Strieter RM (1996) C-X-C chemokines–an overview. In: Koch AE, Strieter RM (eds) Chemokines in Disease. RG Landes, Austin p 1
Williams LT, Snyderman R, Pike LC, Lefkowitz RJ (1977) Specific receptor sites for chemotactic peptides on polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74:1204
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer-Verlag
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2004). Chemoattractants. In: Moreland, L.W. (eds) Rheumatology and Immunology Therapy. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29662-X_646
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29662-X_646
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-20625-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29662-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive