Apoptosis, neutrophils morphology

Interestingly, it has recently been observed that in a murine model of prostate cancer the inhibition of tumor growth by IL-12 gene therapy was associated with a morphological pattern of localized sheets of neoplastic apoptotic cells in close association with necrosis containing neutrophils [64], Depletion of neutrophils resulted in the loss of this pattern of apoptosis and reduced growth suppression. This indicates that rather than direct EC or tumor cell destruction neutrophils may indirectly support an apoptotic pathway [64]. 

Fig. 1. Morphological and functional changes in neutrophils during apoptosis. The properties of non-apoptotic and apoptotic neutrophils are shown. For details, see text.

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