Analysis of the adhesion energy exchanged in cd44-hyaluronate binding.

Red blood cells can adhere to a solid surface by means of adhesion molecules that can be linked to erythrocyte membrane receptors, as it is the case of hyaluronate molecules, which bind to the CD44 receptor on the erythrocyte membrane. The objective of this work was to measure the specific energy (gd) of the erythrocyte hyaluronate receptor (CD44) to its hyaluronate ligand, under dynamic conditions. For this purpose, a controlled flow chamber, installed on the stage of a microscope was used and microscopic images were digitized and processed with a digital image processor (DIP) connected with a charged coupled dense (CCD) camera. Calculated specific energies were within the values determined for other types of cellular adhesion. Methodology proposed allows for a simple, quick, reproducible, and non-conventional way of estimating the specific adhesion energy. This would indicate that the method used to determine the adhesion specific energy is convenient to be applied not only in this case but also in other types of intercellular adhesion. It can also supply a useful parameter to study adhesion as a risk factor in patients with microcirculatory disorders such as diabetic or hipertensive patients and obese people.

Received: Feb.2008 | Accepted: Apr.2009