A tribute to eosinophils from a comparative and evolutionary perspective

Eosinophils have distinctive morphological and biochemical features differentiating them from other granulocytes. Fig 1 shows eosinophils in vertebrates across taxa from an evolutionary perspective, demonstrating an appreciation of their morphological diversity despite a number of conserved features that define the lineage. The presence of “eosinophilic” or acidophilic blood cells/hemocytes has been recognized as well in various invertebrate species, but it is still unknown whether these are evolutionary precursors to eosinophils in vertebrates.
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research