Awad and colleagues elucidate the spatiotemporal profile of neutrophil infiltration in the kidney following ischemia–reperfusion injury. Using elegant in vivo labeling techniques, they demonstrate increased neutrophil content in the kidney following ischemia–reperfusion, which is largely due to transmigration from the circulation into the interstitial compartment. The authors also provide mechanistic insights into this phenomenon and show that adenosine 2A receptor agonists reduce interstitial neutrophil infiltration and improve renal function.