Micromanipulation of adhesion of a Jurkat cell to a planar bilayer membrane containing lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 molecules

A novel technique was devised to quantify the direct contributionof the surface adhesion molecules to the strength of cell adhesion. CD2-expressing Jurkat cells were allowed to attach to a glass-supported planar bilayer of either glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) or transmembrane (TM) isoforms of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 molecules. Later, a micropipette is used to pull the cells away and perpendicular to the bilayer. GPI-associated cells underwent extensive elongation before detaching, while TM-associated cells detached easily without changing shape.