title: [The role of eosinophils in allergic inflammation and intestinal immunity].
abstract: Eosinophils are multifunctional leukocytes typically associated with parasitic helminth infections and allergic diseases, such as bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis. Although it has been suggested that eosinophils play key roles in various immune functions, including antigen presentation, effector function and immune regulation, the physiological role of eosinophils found early in ontogeny in the thymus and intestine under steady-state conditions remains largely unclear. In this review, we summarize the biological function of eosinophils, focusing on the molecular mechanism underlying their development and trafficking. We also present our recent data that may indicate a novel function of eosinophils in the intestinal lamina propria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Allergic and Rheumatic Diseases, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fukamizu
authors.forename: Myoung Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyasaka
mesh_terms: D018925:Chemokines / Q000502:physiology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines