Neutrophils: Need for Standardized Nomenclature.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Neutrophils are the most abundant innate immune cells, crucial for antimicrobial defense.
• Historically, neutrophils have been referred to by various names (e.g., PMN, G-MDSC, LDN, TANS), leading to nomenclature confusion.
• This lack of standardized terminology may obscure the understanding of neutrophil plasticity versus distinct populations, especially in disease states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and profile the surface markers and granule expression of neutrophils at each stage of granulopoiesis.
• To provide insights into identifying different stages of neutrophil maturity.
• To highlight the surface marker expression profiles differentiating purported neutrophil populations.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review focusing on neutrophil surface markers.
• Analysis of granule content and expression patterns during granulopoiesis.
• Comparative profiling of surface markers across various neutrophil subsets described in literature.

Main Results:

• Detailed characterization of surface marker and granule expression across neutrophil maturation stages.
• Identification of key markers for distinguishing neutrophil developmental stages.
• Demonstration of overlapping and distinct surface marker profiles among commonly cited neutrophil populations (PMN, G-MDSC, LDN, TANS).

Conclusions:

• Neutrophil heterogeneity, particularly in disease, may largely result from their inherent plasticity rather than distinct cellular entities.
• Standardized identification based on developmental stage and marker expression is crucial for accurate neutrophil research.
• Understanding neutrophil plasticity is key to deciphering their roles in health and disease.