CD11/CD18-dependent and -independent neutrophil emigration in the lungs: how do neutrophils know which route to take?

Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon...

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...