In contrast, ICAM-1 is no longer a keymolecule for leukocyte recruitment during TNF[alpha]-induced inflammation of cremaster muscles , which is consistent with previous studies [5, 6, 23].

Therefore, we studied the effect of PC on leukocyte recruitment in [RAGE.sup.-/-] and [Icam-1.sub.-/-] mice using intravital microscopy of cremaster muscle venules in short-term (trauma, fMLP, and CXCL-1) and long-term (TNF-[alpha]) inflammation models.

As recently reported, we used the cremaster muscle models of trauma- and TNF[alpha]-induced inflammation [6].

First, local superfusion with fMLP (N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine, 1 [micro]M), a potent chemoattractant and integrin activator [5, 22], induced additional leukocyte adhesion in cremaster muscle venules of WT and [RAGE.sup.-/-] mice, but not of [Icam-1.sup.-/-] mice.