Eosinophil Biology Today-A Primer for Basic and Clinical Investigators

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Eosinophils are granulocytes crucial for tissue homeostasis, host defense, inflammation, and repair.
• Their functions extend beyond type-2 immunity, involving the release of cytokines (e.g., IL-4, IL-13, TGF-β) and exhibiting immunomodulatory, cytotoxic, and pro-remodeling activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize key concepts in eosinophil biology.
• To provide an overview of methods for visualizing, isolating, and functionally characterizing eosinophils.
• To discuss how transcriptomic and proteomic tools enhance understanding of eosinophil phenotypes in disease.

Main Methods:

• Review of established and advanced techniques for eosinophil analysis.
• Emphasis on methodological strengths, limitations, and potential artifacts.
• Integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data to define eosinophil phenotypes.

Main Results:

• Eosinophil phenotypes are shaped by tissue imprinting and microenvironmental cues, demonstrating significant plasticity.
• Diverse cytokines and growth factors are released by eosinophils, influencing various biological processes.
• Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses reveal eosinophil relevance in allergy, infection, tissue repair, and cancer.

Conclusions:

• Eosinophils possess remarkable functional plasticity and transcriptional diversity.
• Understanding eosinophil biology is crucial for investigating diseases like allergy, infection, and cancer.
• This review serves as a resource for researchers entering the multidisciplinary field of eosinophil biology.