Definition
noun, plural: selectins
Any of the large group of cell adhesion molecules described as carbohydrate-binding adhesion receptors
Supplement
Selectins are comprised of:
- a short cytoplasmic domain, projecting into the cytosol and interacting with cytoskeleton
- transmembrane domain, spanning the membrane
- series of CRP (complement regulatory protein) repeats
- EGF-like domain
- lectin-like domain that binds to carbohydrate residues of the adhering cell
Selectins are found chiefly on the cell surface of white blood cells and mediate the binding of white blood cell to the endothelial cell, thus, are involved in host defense mechanisms, particularly the binding and rolling of the white blood cell to the endothelium.
The selectin family is comprised of three major groups:
Related term(s):
Reference(s):
- Goodman SR. 2008. Cell Adhesion and the Extracellular Matrix. In: Medical Cell Biology. 3rd ed. London: Academic Press. p191-226.
