Search This Blog

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Neutrophils are much more numerous than the longer-lived monocyte/macrophage Phagocytes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrophil_granulocyte

Neutrophils are much more numerous than the longer-lived monocyte/macrophage phagocytes. A pathogen (disease-causing microorganism or virus) is likely to first encounter a neutrophil. Some experts hypothesize that the short lifetime of neutrophils is an evolutionary adaptation. The short lifetime of neutrophils minimizes propagation of those pathogens that parasitize phagocytes because the more time such parasites spend outside a host cell, the more likely they will be destroyed by some component of the body's defenses. Also, because neutrophil antimicrobial products can also damage host tissues, their short life limits damage to the host during inflammation.
Neutrophils will often be phagocytosed by macrophages after digestion of pathogens. PECAM-1and phosphatidylserine on the cell surface are involved in this process.

No comments:

Post a Comment