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Ageing and the neutrophil: no appetite for killing?
Author(s) -
Butcher S.,
Chahel H.,
Lord J. M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2000.00079.x
Subject(s) - immune system , biology , immunology , ageing , immune status , appetite , pathogen , senescence , first line , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , endocrinology , genetics
Summary In the armoury of the immune system developed to combat the various micro‐organisms that could invade the host, the neutrophil forms the first line of defence against rapidly dividing bacteria and fungi. However, as humans age they become more susceptible to infection with these microbes and this has been ascribed to a decline in immune status, termed immune senescence. Here we summarize the literature specifically concerning the attenuation of neutrophil function with age and the possible mechanisms underlying their reduced response to infectious agents.