Abstract
Over the years of evolution, thousands of different animal species have evolved. All these species require an immune system to defend themselves against invading pathogens. Nevertheless, the immune systems of different species are obviously counteracting against the same pathogen with different efficiency. Therefore, the question arises if the process that was leading to the clades of vertebrates in the animal kingdom—namely mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish—was also leading to different functions of immune cells. One cell type of the innate immune system that is transmigrating as first line of defense in infected tissue and counteracts against pathogens is the neutrophil granulocyte. During the host–pathogen interaction they can undergo phagocytosis, apoptosis, degranulation, and form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). In this review, we summarize a wide spectrum of information about neutrophils in humans and animals, with a focus on vertebrates. Special attention is kept on the development, morphology, composition, and functions of these cells, but also on dysfunctions and options for cell culture or storage.
Highlights
As the first line of response during immune reactions against invading pathogens, neutrophil granulocytes are an important blood cell type of animals
Since body temperature is variable in different species and it cannot be excluded that it affects the function of neutrophils, this should be taken into account for in vitro experiments
Even minor differences may lead to huge variations, such as a missing receptor type preventing the cascade of reactions occurring in another species
Summary
As the first line of response during immune reactions against invading pathogens, neutrophil granulocytes are an important blood cell type of animals. Neutrophils can transmigrate through vascular endothelium into infected tissue. Once having reached the infected tissue, neutrophils can react with various defense strategies, including degranulation, phagocytosis, or release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) [2]. As such, they combat either the pathogens with antimicrobial substances or engulf and digest them. They combat either the pathogens with antimicrobial substances or engulf and digest them They can entrap microbes in released extracellular chromatin structures decorated with histones and granule proteins. We summarize a wide spectrum of information about neutrophils in vertebrates with a focus on evolution, development, morphology, and function
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