Inflammation
The human body responds to infection and injury through a cascade of events known as inflammation. Clinically, inflammation is manifested as the redness, swelling, loss of function and increased temperature associated with tissue injury. The inflammation cascade is specifically mediated by chemokines, cytokines and adhesion factors (see figure). Endothelial heparan sulfate participates in the inflammatory response in several ways. It acts as ligand for L-selectin on leukocytes, binds and presents chemokines at the lumenal surface, and facilitates transcytosis of chemokines from the underlying tissue to lumenal side of the endothelium. One area of interest concerns the role of proteoglycans in diapedesis or transmigration, the actual movement of leukocytes across the endothelial barrier. Another area concerns the role of proteoglycans in establishing vascular permeability.