Neutrophils are both the most abundant immune cells and the first to go to a site of infection. In this video, ARTURO ZYCHLINSKY explores the role that Neutrophils play in infectious disease. Zychlinsky explains that Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (or NETs) kill and prevent the dissemination of microbes while also alerting other parts of the immune system to infection. Revealing some of the processes involved in NET formation, Zychlinsky demonstrates that, depending on the type of disease, NETs can play either a beneficial or a deleterious role. With NET’s relevance extending beyond infectious disease to conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease, Zychlinsky’s work has opened up a fertile field of exploration for research labs worldwide.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21036/LTPUB10840

Researcher

Director of the Department of Cellular Microbiology at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology since 2001, Arturo Zychlinsky has previously held a Professorship at the New York University School of Medicineas well as completinga two year fellowship at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. Zychlinsky’s research focuses on Neutrophils and NETs, Immunity and Development and the Inflammasome.A member of both the American and the European Academies of Microbiology, Professor Zychlinsky is the holder of several patents. He regularly provides consultancy expertise to organizations including the Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy and Boston based Padlock Therapeutics.

Institution

Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology

The Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology focuses on understanding how microbes cause disease and how hosts respond to this challenge. Its mission is to understand infections by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and worms of two reasons: they present one of the most significant medical burdens on earth and the interaction between microbes and their host are an essential driver of evolution. To find answers to the fundamental questions of infection biology, the MPIIB brings together scientists from various disciplines. Hence the scale of the MPIIB research spans through the atomic, molecular, cellular, tissular, organismal, clinical and finally social level. The Institute is located at the historical Campus of the Charité Clinic in the heart of Berlin.

Show more

Original publication

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps: The Biology of Chromatin Externalization

Sollberger Gabriel, Tilley Dorothea Ogmore and Zychlinsky Arturo
Developmental cell
Published in 2018

Reading recommendations

Gasdermin D Plays a Vital Role in the Generation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps

Sollberger Gabriel, Zychlinsky Arturo, Choidas Axel, Burn Garth Lawrence, Habenberger Peter, Di Lucrezia Raffaella, Kordes Susanne, Menninger Sascha, Eickhoff Jan, Nussbaumer Peter, Klebl Bert, Krüger Renate and Herzig Alf
Science immunology
Published in 2018

Neutrophil Eextracellular Traps Kill Bacteria

Brinkmann Volker, Goosmann Christian, Zychlinsky Arturo, Reichard Ulrike, Fauler Beatrix, Uhlemann Yvonne, Weiss David S. and Weinrauch Yvette
science
Published in 2004

Cell-cycle Proteins Control Production of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps

Brinkmann Volker, Zychlinsky Arturo, Amulic Borko, Knackstedt Sebastian Lorenz, Abed Ulrike Abu, Deigendesch Nikolaus, Harbort Christopher J., Caffrey Brian E, Heppner Frank L. and Hinds Philip W
Developmental cell
Published in 2017

Beyond