Neutrophils are the first cellular responders of the immune system. They employ their impressive arsenal of microbicidal molecules to provide rapid and efficient defense against pathogens. However, the role of neutrophils extends far beyond microbial destruction to include tissue repair and remodeling, provision of signals to the adaptive immune system and body homeostasis. Intravital imaging has allowed the visualization of neutrophils in their native environment in both health and disease and provided crucial insights into their mechanisms of action. In the last few years the power of intravital imaging has been considerably extended by the introduction of photoconvertible proteins and intracellular signaling reporter mice. This review will highlight recent advances in our understanding of neutrophil biology based on the use of intravital microscopy to visualize their modus operandi in vivo including migration in and out of inflamed tissues, host-pathogen interactions and cell fate.

中性粒细胞是免疫系统的第一个细胞反应器。他们利用其令人印象深刻的杀菌分子库提供快速有效的防御病原体的能力。然而，嗜中性粒细胞的作用远不止于微生物破坏，还包括组织修复和重塑，向适应性免疫系统提供信号和人体体内平衡。活体成像使健康和疾病的自然环境中的中性粒细胞可视化，并提供了对其作用机理的重要见解。在最近几年中，通过引入光可转换蛋白和细胞内信号传导报告基因小鼠，大大增强了活体内成像的能力。体内的操作方式，包括进出炎症组织的迁移，宿主与病原体的相互作用以及细胞命运。