Maturation-associated changes in the peripheral cytoplasm of human neutrophils: a review

The process of hemopoietic stem cell differentiation and proliferation leads to a large number of precursor cells committed to the neutrophil lineage. These precursor cells undergo a further limited degree of proliferation but, most importantly, undergo a dramatic process of maturation which alters the phenotype of the cell from a myeloblast, which is incapable of normal circulation and function into a segmented neutrophil capable of chemokinesis, chemotaxis, particle ingestion, microbicidal action, and other functions required to subserve the inflammatory process. This review describes the changes in the cell surface and cell cytoplasm that occur during precursor cell maturation and, to the extent possible, correlates molecular and macromolecular changes during maturation with the development of functional capacity.