Adhesion mechanisms play a major role in the recruitment of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) which characteristically infiltrate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium and other chronically inflamed tissues. Through a sequential series of complex integrated adhesion and signalling events, 'multistep model of migration', specific subsets of PBL are recruited into inflamed tissues. In this process both leucocyte receptors and microvascular endothelial (MVE) counter-receptors play a critical role. The MVE in particular, during an inflammatory state, is the target of various inflammatory mediators that cause the up-regulation of several cell adhesion molecules (CAM). One of the most important factors known to be a powerful inducer of MVE CAM is TNF-alpha. Conversely, blocking TNF-alpha causes a down-modulation of CAM expression. To test directly the capacity of TNF-alpha to induce cell migration into RA synovium we adapted a model in which synovial grafts were implanted into SCID mice subcutaneously. Using this model we demonstrate that: (i) transplants remain viable and become vascularized and fed by mouse subdermal vessels; (ii) the mouse vasculature connects to the transplant vasculature which maintains the ability to express human CAM; (iii) intragraft injections of TNF-alpha up-regulate the expression of human CAM, following the down-regulation which occurred 4 weeks post-transplantation; and (iv) the up-regulation of graft CAM is associated with increased human PBL migration into the transplants. This study provides direct evidence in vivo of the capacity of TNF-alpha to induce cell migration. In addition, it provides the experimental background for the optimal use of this model.