Homing receptors and lymphocyte migration.

Lymphocyte migration and recirculation of lymphocytes between the lymphoid organs and other tissues is thought to be essential for effective immunologic surveillance and dissemination of the immune response. In addition, lymphocyte recirculation may also be important in the segregation of lymphocytes with particular functions in the different lymphoid tissues. Furthermore, insight in the molecular basis of these processes may help us to understand lymphoma spreading and metastatic invasion of carcinoma cells.