Neutrophils, the most abundant circulating leukocyte, are critical for host defense.
Granulopoiesis is under the control of transcriptional factors and culminates in mature
neutrophils with a broad armamentarium of antimicrobial pathways. These pathways include
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, which generates microbicidal
reactive oxidants, and nonoxidant pathways that target microbes through several
mechanisms. Activated neutrophils can cause or worsen tissue injury, underscoring the …