Phenotypic and functional diversity of neutrophils across tissues
by Andrés Hidalgo of the Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC)
A major challenge of modern Immunology is to organize classical observations into working models that adapt to unexpected findings made in recent years, with new tools. These findings have blurred the limits of phenotypes and functional properties of many immune cells.
This is particularly true for neutrophils, a group of short-lived myeloid leukocytes that are most prominently known for their involvement in immediate anti-microbial defense and acute inflammatory reactions. The notion that they represent a sort of circulating “grenades” ready for deployment of highly toxic mediators has limited exploration of other aspects of their biology, and suggested homogeneous properties of neutrophils. Examples in the field of cancer and auto-immunity, however, have discovered a vast array of physiological properties, distant from their classical defensive roles.
In his talk Dr Hidalgo will introduce examples of heterogeneity induced by the circadian clock, and discuss and physiological properties acquired in naïve tissues that may provide new insights into a full array of previously unknown, biological properties of neutrophils.
Dr Hidalgo’s talk is part of the 2019/2020 BIST Colloquium series on May 18, 2020. Because of the current situation of general confinement that we don’t know when will finish, the event will be held online.
The colloquium is part of the BIST Master curriculum but is also open and free for anyone interested in participating.
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