Leukocyte adhesion is of pivotal functional importance and this has resulted in extensive research and rapid develonient in the field. Leukocyte adhesion involves members of three molecular families: integrins, members of the immunoglobulin superfatnily and carbohydrate binding selectins and sialoadhesins. Recently, considerable structural information on leukocyte integrins and members of the immunoglobulin superfrtinily of adhesion molecules has been obtained. This fact. combined with the identification of several novel adhesion molecules. has increased our understanding o f how they function at the molecular level. Furthermore, the important issue of how integrins are activated to become adhesive is rapidly advancing,.. It is clearly evident that the knowledge accuniulated from basic research will increasingly be applied in clinical medicine. In this review we focus on two iinportant families of adhesion molecules. Norc. This Review will be reprinted in EJR Kei?cw.\ 1997 which will be av;iil;ible in April I99X.A number of different leukocytes are known and most probably more subgroups will be found concomitantly with the development in typing procedures. 111 addition, the cells rnay represent different stages of differentiation. An individual leukocyte m 11 s t be able to interact with a number of fundamentally different cells. often modified in various ways. and sometimes with the extracellular matrix or foreign microbes. These facts may partially be the reason that many different leukocyte adhesion systems and molecules exist. In addition i t is certainly useful for the organism to have a certain redundancy i n adhcsion molecule expression and function. which could seciire vital functions cven if some adhesion functions are lost or weakened.Cellular immunology used to be largely phenomenal and not inolecular. But with the development of monoclonal antibody and inolecular cloning techniques, combined with the rapid advance in structural elucidation. present day immunology is certainly ii molecular science, and in inany respects in the forefiont of modern biomedical research. In fact, a number of dcvelopinents in other fields of present day biomedical research originate from breakthroughs in iinmunology. and an excellent exaniple is leukocyte adhesion. Although much remains poorly understood, adhesion receptor-ligand interactions are now appreciated to such an extent that much can be applied t o several other areas of research.But research on leiikocytc adhesion is not rewarding only from a basic point of view. Undoubtedly. the large interest in this field steins from iiuinerous potential clinical applications. Many of the iniljor diseases affecting mankind. like cardiovnscular disease. stroke, chronic and iicute inflammations. cancer. malaria, and inany bacterial and viral infections directly involve leukocyte adhesion molecules. Therefore. it comes as no surprise