Neutrophil diversity and plasticity: Implications for organ transplantation

Neutrophils, as the first defenders against external microbes and stimuli, are highly active and finely regulated innate immune cells. Emerging evidence has challenged the conventional dogma that neutrophils are a homogeneous population with a short lifespan that promotes tissue damage. Recent findings on neutrophil diversity and plasticity in homeostatic and disease states have centered on neutrophils in the circulation. In contrast, a comprehensive understanding of tissue-specialized neutrophils in health and disease is still lacking. This article will first discuss how multiomics advances have contributed to our understanding of neutrophil heterogeneity and diversification in resting and pathological settings. This discussion will be followed by a focus on the heterogeneity and role of neutrophils in solid organ transplantation and how neutrophils may contribute to transplant-related complications. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the research on the involvement of neutrophils in transplantation, with the aim that this may draw attention to an underappreciated area of neutrophil research.