This video, we're going to talk about adhesion molecules and their role in cell communication. Adhesion molecules, as their name implies, are cell surface proteins involved in adhering or binding to other cells. This adhesion is very important because it allows immune system cells to bind to adhesion molecules of endothelial cells that are lining the blood vessels, which allows these immune system cells to enter into the tissues that are infected with microbes. Adhesion molecules can also be used by cells to attach to other cells and directly deliver signaling molecules to the cell that they are binding to.
If we take a look at our image down below over here on the left-hand side, notice that we're showing you our map of the lesson on the scanning systems of innate immunity, which serve as security cameras to detect signs of microbes. We're focusing specifically on cell communication and adhesion molecules here in this video. Notice here we're showing you adhesion molecules and how they are important in cellular immunity. Notice that here we're showing you our blood vessels. If a site is going to be infected in the tissues, then what can happen is the cells that line the blood vessels, the endothelial cells, can create adhesion molecules and that's what we're seeing here as adhesion molecules. Notice that these adhesion molecules that are created by these particular cells lining the blood vessels allow for cells of the immune system to bind and, as you can see here, there is a binding event where adhesion molecules on the immune cells can bind to adhesion molecules on the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels.
The migration of these immune system cells into the tissues allows them to attack and generate immune responses to the microbial infection or the bacterial infection here in this case. Adhesion molecules are very important for cell communication and allowing cells to migrate to an area of infection. This here concludes our brief lesson on adhesion molecules and their role in cell communication. We'll be able to apply these concepts as we move forward, and then also we'll be able to talk about cytokines as we move forward as well. I'll see you all in our next video.