The cooperative effect of L-selectin clusters and velocity-dependent bond formation that stabilizes leukocyte rolling.
The role of clustered of L-selectin receptors on the leukocyte surface is discussed in connection with the postulated velocity-dependent formation of selectin-ligand tether bonds to interpret the mechanism of leukocyte tethering to, and rolling along, the vascular endothelium. The distinct feature of this step-wise process is a weak dependence of leukocyte rolling velocity on the hydrodynamic forces of ambient flow due to the increased number of selectin bonds with increasing flow shear rate and also their clustering. The contact zones on the leukocyte surface are separated by distances with distribution which corresponds to the distribution of distances of the observed L-selectin clusters. It suggests that the localization of L-selectin receptors to clusters and the way of their approach to the ligand molecules creates such conditions for binding of L-selectin and ligand molecules that resulting number of bonds stabilizes rolling velocity.