Receptors are commonly defined in terms of number per cell, affinity for ligand, chemical structure, mode of attachment to the cell surface, and mechanism of signal transduction. We propose to show that knowledge of spatial distribution of receptors on the cell surface can provide additional clues to their function and components of functional control.L-selectin and Mac-1 denote two receptor populations on the neutrophil surface that mediate neutrophil-endothelial cell adherence interactions and provide for targeting of neutrophil recruitment to sites of inflammation. We have studied the spatial distributions of these receptors using LVSEM and backscatter imaging of isolated human neutrophils stained with mouse anti-receptor (primary) antibody and goat anti-mouse (secondary) antibody conjugated to 12 nm colloidal gold. This combination of techniques provides for three-dimensional analysis of the expression of these receptors on different surface membrane domains of the neutrophil: the ruffles and microvilli that project from the cell surface, and the cell body between these projecting structures.
