The interactions between cell surface receptors and sulfated glucosamineglycans serve ubiquitous roles in cell adhesion and receptor signaling. Heparin, a highly sulfated polymer of uronic acids and glucosamine, binds strongly to the integrin receptor ␣X2 (p150,95, CD11c/CD18). Here, we analyze the structural motifs within heparin that constitute high affinity binding sites for the I domain of integrin ␣X2. Heparin oligomers with chain lengths of 10 saccharide residues or higher provide strong inhibition of the binding by the ␣X I domain to the complement fragment iC3b. By contrast, smaller oligomers or the synthetic heparinoid fondaparinux were not able to block the binding. Semipurified heparin oligomers with 12 saccharide residues identified the fully sulfated species as the most potent antagonist of iC3b, with a 1.3 M affinity for the ␣X I domain. In studies of direct binding by the ␣X I domain to immobilized heparin, we found that the interaction is conformationally regulated and requires Mg 2؉ . Furthermore, the fully sulfated heparin fragment induced conformational change in the ectodomain of the ␣X2 receptor, also demonstrating allosteric linkage between heparin binding and integrin conformation.Increasing evidence points to an important function of heparin in the immune system. Heparin is exclusively synthesized by connective tissue mast cells and released from storage granula in the inflammatory responses mediated by these leukocytes. Furthermore, several receptors on leukocytes are able to bind with high affinity to heparin. These include the 2 integrins ␣M2 (Mac-1, CD11b/CD18) and ␣X2 (p150,95, CD11c/CD18) (1, 2), which play key roles in the adhesion, migration, and binding of complement fragments by myeloid leukocytes. ␣M2 and ␣X2 integrins, also referred to as complement receptors 3 and 4, respectively, bind strongly to a protelytic fragment of complement factor 3 designated iC3b, as shown by both cellular and biochemical assays. iC3b plays an important role in phagocytic uptake of microbes by leukocytes of the myeloid lineages. Diamond et al. (2) reported the adhesion of neutrophil granulocytes to heparin-coated surfaces through the ␣M2 integrin, which is abundantly expressed on these leukocytes. The ␣X2 integrin, primarily expressed on monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, was also demonstrated to support adhesion to heparin by use of cell line transfectants (2).Integrin receptors contain multiple domains in their ectodomain. 2 integrins, which in addition to ␣M2 and ␣X2 include the ␣L2 integrin (LFA-1, CD11a/CD18), bind ligands through an inserted (I) domain in the ␣ subunit. Previous studies have indicated a central role for the ␣M and ␣X I domains in binding to heparin (2) and shown that the affinity of the ␣X I domain for heparin is significantly higher than the affinity of the ␣M I domain (3). In the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) 2 of the I domain, a Mg 2ϩ ion forms a crucial bond to an acidic residue in protein ligands. However, the requirement for Mg 2ϩ in...