Chemical and Mechanical Regulation of Leukocyte Migration

Directed leukocyte motility is essential for immunity and host defense. Dysregulated leukocyte migration is implicated in clinical immunodeficiency and hyperinflammatory conditions. Leukocytes sense both chemical and physical cues within the environment to regulate internal migration machinery and thus coordinate the immune response and its resolution. In response to environmental cues, leukocytes cater migration strategies to both exert forces on surrounding tissues and alter the chemical environment through self-generated gradients. Here, we synthesize recent advances in our understanding of how chemical and physical cues within the tissue environment regulate leukocyte motility, with implications to develop therapeutic strategies to modulate the immune response in human disease.