Investigating neutrophil nuclear plasticity in vivo

For effective immune responses, leukocytes (or white blood cells) must rapidly navigate the body’s complex 3-D maze to reach injury or infection. The nucleus is the largest cellular organelle and a key intracellular obstacle that cells must overcome in order to move. Neutrophil leukocytes are experts at moving fast and squeezing through very small tissue spaces. Neutrophil nuclei have distinctive lobes and unique envelope composition, providing an unrivalled opportunity to study the link between nuclear structure and efficient cell migration. This PhD determined that neutrophil nuclear shape and envelope composition directly enables neutrophils to achieve their superior speed and plasticity.