Neutrophil Function: Normal and Abnormal

Abstract

Intense interest in normal and abnormal neutrophil function has generated an immense outpouring of publications describing experiments and observations concerning this fascinating cell. Fortunately, comprehensive reviews have kept pace with this ground swell and provide historical perspective, diverse viewpoints, and compendia of emerging data and ideas (Bellanti and Dayton, 1975; Cline et al., 1974; Humbert et al., 1975; Lichtman, 1975; Stossel, 1974; Baehner, 1974). The principal intent of this chapter is to provide not another compendium but a critical appraisal of some recent directions in research concerning normal and abnormal neutrophil function. Our approach is to discuss recent developments in aspects of arbitrarily defined functions of the mature neutrophil: locomotion, ingestion, degranulation, oxidative metabolism, and microbicidal activity. Their artificial boundaries are mere conveniences for presentation. Many of the mechanisms underlying the functions discussed are similar, which will be apparent from the repetition that this approach requires. In focusing on neutrophil function, we must neglect the important subjects of the neutrophil’s production and life cycle and the growing field of neutrophil transfusion. We direct interested readers to recent reviews (Stanley et al., 1975; Herzig and Graw, 1975; Boggs, 1974; Higby and Henderson, 1975).