Neutrophils and neutrophil-like cells are the major pathogen-fighting immune cells in
organisms ranging from slime molds to mammals. Central to their function is their ability to
be recruited to sites of infection, to recognize and phagocytose microbes, and then to kill
pathogens through a combination of cytotoxic mechanisms. These include the production of
reactive oxygen species, the release of antimicrobial peptides, and the recently discovered
expulsion of their nuclear contents to form neutrophil extracellular traps. Here we discuss …