ABSTRACT

The interest in the signal transduction mechanisms of the neutrophil stems from a desire to understand not only general cell biology, but also the specific role of these mechanisms in pathological processes. As Metchnikoff had clearly demonstrated, the physiological function of these cells is the prevention of pathology by combatting infection. If probabilistic phenomena underlie critical steps in the activation of neutrophils, the possibility exists that as with the neuron, the coupling of stimulation to response may be unreliable. There are features of stimulus-response coupling in the neutrophil that may have pathogenic significance. There is growing evidence that neutrophils can unleash their destructive power not only against the infecting microorganism but also against the surrounding extracellular matrix and neighboring cells. One important difference between the neutrophil and the muscle cell is in the type of cellular responses that are triggered. All the cell types belonging to the neutrophil family group can produce number of cellular responses, which are often coordinated.