Medicine
Role of neutrophil extracellular traps in sepsis immunopathology
Quick fact
In sepsis, neutrophils cast nets of DNA and antimicrobial proteins that can clog microscopic blood vessels, contribute to organ failure, and even trigger clot formation—sometimes at the cost of the very patient they're meant to protect.
Why this is interesting
Your body's own defenders—neutrophils—release sticky webs that help trap invaders, but in sepsis these same webs become part of the problem. Imagine a fire brigade that sprays water but also floods the building.