What is selectin?
The selectins are a family of cell adhesion molecules that play an important role in the initial stages of the inflammatory cascade. Attachment of selectins to their receptors initiates cell rolling along the vascular endothelium, which in turn enables subsequent interactions with other adhesion molecules to produce cell capture and adhesion. Inhibiting or modifying this initial cell rolling stage may interrupt the abnormal inflammatory responses that give rise to various diseases, including asthma.