Intravital microscopy of the mouse cremaster microcirculation was used to examine the role of specific adhesion molecules in histone-dependent leukocyte recruitment. Histones type 3 were given locally to the cremaster muscle sack and specific adhesion molecules were blocked by systemic administration of monoclonal antibodies. Extracellular histones 3 induced leukocyte recruitment in a dose-dependent manner. Histone-induced neutrophil rolling is predominately mediated by P-selectin/PSGL-1 interactions, whereas histone-induced leukocyte adhesion is inter alia mediated by Mac-1 and LFA-1.