What is diapedesis?

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Multiple Choice

What is diapedesis?

Diapedesis is the movement of leukocytes from the bloodstream into surrounding tissues by crossing the endothelial barrier, typically by squeezing between adjacent endothelial cells during inflammation. Activated white blood cells adhere to the endothelium and then transmigrate through gaps in the endothelium toward sites of injury or infection, guided by chemotactic signals. This paracellular route (between cells) is the mechanism described here. It’s not about production location—leukocytes are produced mainly in the bone marrow—and it is not passive diffusion; diapedesis is an active, regulated exit from blood vessels into tissue.

Diapedesis is the movement of leukocytes from the bloodstream into surrounding tissues by crossing the endothelial barrier, typically by squeezing between adjacent endothelial cells during inflammation. Activated white blood cells adhere to the endothelium and then transmigrate through gaps in the endothelium toward sites of injury or infection, guided by chemotactic signals. This paracellular route (between cells) is the mechanism described here. It’s not about production location—leukocytes are produced mainly in the bone marrow—and it is not passive diffusion; diapedesis is an active, regulated exit from blood vessels into tissue.

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