Neutrophil migration in inflammation: intercellular signal relay and crosstalk

- Neutrophils engage in homotypic and heterptypic communication with other cells.
- Signal relay between neutrophils coordinates their swarming in a feed forward manner.
- Multi-dimensional crosstalks between neutrophils and other cells choreograph recruitment.
- Crosstalks allow neutrophils to exert long-lasting impact beyond their short lifespan.

Neutrophils are innate effector cells armed with a potent machinery to combat damage and infection within tissues. Their ability to rapidly respond to danger signals and mobilise is crucial to their role. After extravasation, neutrophil populations often exhibit swarming behaviour. Swarming occurs in distinct phases and is coordinated via inter-neutrophil signal relay in the form of small molecule mediators. Neutrophils also engage in multi-dimensional crosstalk with tissue-resident cells and incoming leukocytes in the inflammatory milieu. The complexity of neutrophil crosstalk with other innate immune cells mirrors that of the adaptive immune system, with rudimentary features of 'priming' and 'licensing'. We review recent findings relating to the migration and intercellular crosstalks of neutrophils in the initiation and resolution of inflammation.