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Review
. 2015 Mar 12;11(3):e1004651.
doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004651. eCollection 2015 Mar.

Neutrophils: Between host defence, immune modulation, and tissue injury

Philipp Kruger  1 , Mona Saffarzadeh  2 , Alexander N R Weber  3 , Nikolaus Rieber  4 , Markus Radsak  5 , Horst von Bernuth  6 , Charaf Benarafa  7 , Dirk Roos  8 , Julia Skokowa  9 , Dominik Hartl  4
Affiliations
Review

Neutrophils: Between host defence, immune modulation, and tissue injury

Philipp Kruger et al. PLoS Pathog. .

Abstract

Neutrophils, the most abundant human immune cells, are rapidly recruited to sites of infection, where they fulfill their life-saving antimicrobial functions. While traditionally regarded as short-lived phagocytes, recent findings on long-term survival, neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, heterogeneity and plasticity, suppressive functions, and tissue injury have expanded our understanding of their diverse role in infection and inflammation. This review summarises our current understanding of neutrophils in host-pathogen interactions and disease involvement, illustrating the versatility and plasticity of the neutrophil, moving between host defence, immune modulation, and tissue damage.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Neutrophil effector mechanisms.
The mechanisms neutrophils employ to fight infections include phagocytosis, the release of various granule components into the extracellular space or into the phagosome (mainly proteases, oxidants, antimicrobial peptides), and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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