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This book discusses different aspects of neutropenia including drug-induced neutropenia, which is quite common, and neutropenia in chemotherapy-treated patients. The authors offer an all-encompassing approach to the pathobiology and treatment of neutropenic disorders. This book reviews current information concerning neutropenia. There have been significant advances in medicine; however, bacterial infections continue to contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in patients with neutropenia particularly cancer patients who develop chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. In this setting, it is important to understand pathophysiology of neutropenia and have a logical approach in diagnosis and treatment of neutropenia. Gathering all this information in one book will be of immense benefit for healthcare workers including physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses and this in turn will help them improve the care of their patients. It will also be of benefit for pharmacists as a source of clinical and pharmacological knowledge. For researchers undertaking research in the field of hemato-oncology or pharmacology, this will be a useful starting point for reviewing the literature. The editors have tried to allow information in book chapters to show different aspects and various view points on related issues.

Neutrophils are the cells that protect our lives against fungi, bacteria, or thrombi. In fungal or bacterial sepsis the flowing blood is exposed to unphysiologic matrices that fold factor 12 and prekallikrein into F12a and kallikrein. These two enzymes start the contact system of coagulation (altered matrix (AM) – coagulation). The intrinsic ten-ase, factor 10a, thrombin, and micro-thrombi are formed. The neutrophils answer to increased blood concentrations of kallikrein (also a tissue enzyme) or micro-thrombi with intracellular NADPH-oxidase assembly and secretion of extracellular myeloperoxidase, together these enzymes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) of the type of singlet oxygen, a selective destructor of “non-self” and light signal emitter. Two very interesting clinical routine assays quantify the pro-oxidative capacity of neutrophils in unsupplemented or supplemented blood (the blood ROS generation assay (BRGA)) and the kallikrein and thrombin-generating capacity of any material (e.g. drinking water, vitamins, drugs, pathogens) that comes into contact with blood (the recalcified coagulation activity assay (RECA)). Especially the RECA is the breakthrough in innovative hemostasis diagnostic. Therefore, the present book focuses on activation of neutrophils by singlet oxygen or by kallikrein, an important starter enzyme of clinically so relevant altered matrix coagulation.

Aging is a heterogeneous process with a progressive and general decrease of the organism functions that leads to a lower ability to adaptively react to changes and preserve homeostasis. Consequently, with aging there is an increase in vulnerability to age-associated pathologies or simply the impairment of functions that leads to death. There are different rates of age-related physiological changes and the “biological age” determines the level of aging experienced by each individual and therefore his/her life expectancy. This new book discusses research which suggests that the functional parameters studied in neutrophils may be useful markers of'biological age'and predictors of longevity.

Male infertility is a personal problem with significant social outspread as it affects the couple medically and psychosocially. The quality of human sperm and its fertilizing potential have been dramatically decreased during the last several decades. Worldwide scientific-investigative efforts focus on the pathophysiology and treatment of each singular disorder that contributes to male factor infertility. The role of neutrophils in the male genital tract and seminal fluid is rather complex and dynamic. Neutrophils, as the main component of leucocytes, are found in virtually every ejaculate and play a role on several levels. Small quantities of neutrophils have important beneficial effects in phagocytosis of abnormal sperm and immunosurveillance. This new book discusses the role of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in relation to male infertility.