FIG. 7.

High Na⁺ facilitates the adhesion of monocytes on endothelial cells. (A) Na⁺ concentrations in the supraphysiological range (150 mM) increase the number of adherent monocytes on an endothelial monolayer. (B) Na⁺ concentrations in the supraphysiological range (150 mM) increase the adhesion forces between monocytes and endothelial surface, compared with low Na⁺ conditions, indicating changed conformation of the eGC and thus stronger binding to surface receptors [modified after Schierke et al. (115)]. (C) Principle of the CellHesion method. A human monocyte is mounted on a soft cantilever (red circle) and brought into contact with endothelial cells. On the monocyte touching the surface, it is retracted and the unbinding forces are quantified. (D) Representative force curve. On the monocyte touching the endothelial surface (approach, green line) it is retracted (red line) and the unbinding forces are quantified. To see this illustration in color, the reader is referred to the web version of this article at www.liebertpub.com/ars