Cellular Membrane Tether Retraction: Experiment and Model

During leukocyte rolling on the endothelium, membrane tethers can be extracted simultaneously from both leukocytes and endothelial cells because of the force imposed by the blood flow [1]. Tether extraction has been shown to stabilize leukocyte rolling by increasing the lifetime of the adhesive selectin-ligand bonds that mediate leukocyte rolling [2]. Over the past two decades, tether extraction has been studied extensively, both experimentally and theoretically. In contrast, much less is known about tether retraction.