Analysis of Neutrophil Transmigration Through Epithelial Cell Monolayers

Transmigration of neutrophils through an epithelial layer, such as in the intestine or lung, is a necessary response to a perceived attack at the mucosal surface of that tissue. This process is dynamically regulated by a number of interactive events between the neutrophil and other cell types and allows for an effective and localized neutrophil response. However, in certain inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), persistent neutrophil accumulation can contribute to disease pathology. Elucidating the mechanisms of this aberrant neutrophil accumulation is crucial for understanding and ameliorating these disease processes. The method we describe here is a controlled model system that allows for the investigation of the interactive signals involved in neutrophil transmigration through epithelial barriers, and possible mechanisms of deregulation of this process.