The Killing of Pathogens by Phagocytes

摘要: Phagocytes include neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocyte-macrophages. They are cells specialized for destruction. Their name reflects the fact that they routinely ingest large particles during course of their activities (Gr. 0a:yw, I eat). The objects destroy invading pathogens, damaged foreign cells, connective tissue. Small targets such as bacteria protozoa destroyed after phagocytosis, a process by which target is internalized into cytoplasmic vesicle (the phagocytic vesicle) lined with what was originally plasma membrane (I). Larger can be killed without internalization (2-4). Because many destructive agents em­ ployed phagocytes nonspecifically reactive, normal tissue will destroyed, especially near region inflammation where accu­ mulate in numbers (5-7); this accounts much pathology at sites inflammation. Pathogens all three types phagocytes, though different seem to specialize patho­ gens. Neutrophils appear have few other major functions, but eosinophils thought limit extent an allergic response destruction mediators (8), while mononuclear elements