Neutrophils largely contribute to the first line of defense against the invasion of pathogens. They kill pathogens basically by the following mechanisms: phagocytosis and proteolytic degradation, the release of enzymes with bactericidal activities, and the production of fibers to entrap pathogens, also known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs capture pathogens as a mechanism of immune protection and have been studied in-depth in various fields of human medicine. However, research about NETs in cattle is relatively scarce. The present article reviews the generation mechanisms, structural composition, signal pathways, advantages (and disadvantages) of NETs, and summarizes the latest findings of NETs in cattle health and disease.

中性粒细胞在很大程度上有助于抵御病原体入侵的第一道防线。它们基本上通过以下机制杀死病原体：吞噬作用和蛋白水解降解、具有杀菌活性的酶的释放以及捕获病原体的纤维的产生，也称为中性粒细胞胞外陷阱 (NETs)。NETs 捕获病原体作为一种免疫保护机制，并已在人类医学的各个领域得到深入研究。然而，关于牛 NETs 的研究相对较少。本文综述了NETs的产生机制、结构组成、信号通路、优缺点，总结了NETs在牛健康和疾病中的最新发现。