Purinergic control of neutrophil activation

Neutrophils constitute the first line of defense against invading pathogens, but they also are responsible for tissue destruction in pathological conditions. In a recent paper published in Science Signaling, Junger and colleagues show that adenosine 5'-triphosphate release and signaling through purinergic P2 receptors upon neutrophil activation by bacterial and inflammatory stimuli represents an important mechanism for effective neutrophil functional response and host protection.