Fungal killing by mammalian phagocytic cells.
Phagocytes are considered the most important effector cells in the immune response against fungal infections. To exert their role, they must recognize the invading fungi, internalise, and kill them within the phagosome. Major advances in the field have elucidated the roles of pattern-recognition receptors in the innate immunity sensing and the importance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in intracellular killing of fungi. Surprising exit mechanisms for intracellular pathogens and extracellular traps have also been discovered. These and several other recent breakthroughs in our understanding of the mechanisms used by phagocytes to kill fungal pathogens are reviewed in this work.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. anicola@aecom.yu.edu
André Moraes
AM
Nicola
Arturo
A
Casadevall
David L
DL
Goldman
D000818:Animals; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000276:immunology; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000276:immunology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000276:immunology
D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species