title: Neutrophil clearance: when the party is over, clean-up begins.
abstract: Maintenance of circulating, functional neutrophils and their robust recruitment to tissues in response to injury and/or microbial infection are crucial for host defense. Equally important, although less well understood, are the processes for removal of these short-lived cells. Here, we review recent findings of novel neutrophil characteristics that determine removal. These neutrophil-derived signals, in turn, can shape the responses of other cells and surrounding tissues and promote a return to homeostasis. If not removed, dying neutrophils disintegrate and release phlogistic cargo that can further contribute to ongoing inflammation, tissue destruction, or autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: National Jewish Health, 1400 Jackson Street, Room A540, Denver, CO 80206, USA. brattond@njhealth.org
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bratton
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Henson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002450:Cell Communication; D057899:Cytophagocytosis; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000639:trends; D007249:Inflammation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology