RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Pulmonary immune cells in health and disease: the eosinophil leucocyte (Part I)
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 519
OP 543
DO 10.1183/09031936.94.07030519
VO 7
IS 3
A1 C Kroegel
A1 Virchow JC, Jr
A1 W Luttmann
A1 C Walker
A1 JA Warner
YR 1994
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/7/3/519.abstract
AB Increasing evidence has accumulated to suggest that eosinophils play a key role in the pathogenesis of asthma and other pulmonary diseases by damaging infiltrated bronchial tissue and lung parenchyma. The first part of this review on eosinophils describes the cellular characteristics and properties of the cell, which help in understanding its role in disease. The article focuses on origin, maturation and differentiation of the eosinophil, its morphological and phenotypical properties, as well as its preformed and newly generated mediators of inflammation. The cause and putative significance of eosinophil heterogeneity in respect to function and density will also be discussed. In addition, the naturally occurring mediators through which eosinophils are activated and communicate with other inflammatory cells are outlined. The first part closes with new aspects of eosinophil recruitment from the circulation into perivascular tissue, including nonselective and putative selective adhesion mechanisms and chemotaxis.