5 types of white blood cells
The types of white blood cells are neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes and lymphocytes.. At unProfesor we detail them in this perfect summary for you to study.
The blood It is a connective tissue that travels through the circulatory system transporting nutrients, waste products and other molecules throughout the body. Like all connective tissues, blood is made up of two main components: cells and plasma. The blood cells They can be classified as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
In this lesson from a TEACHER, we want to focus our attention to explain in detail the types of white blood cells that exist and what is its importance for the proper functioning of our body.
Before talking about the types of white blood cells, let's better understand what we are dealing with. The white blood cells They are a type of blood cells that can also be called leukocytes. They are part of the body's immune system, so they help fight infections and diseases that attack our body.
He
immune system of the body is a natural defense system that our body has to fight against viruses and bacteria that enter our body. This attack action is very organized and its only objective is to completely destroy the infectious agents that are affecting our state of health in the body. Leukocytes are part of this immune system.white blood cells are made in the bone marrow and are stored. They only enter the blood when the body needs them to combat an infectious process or disease. Normally, people produce about 100 billion white blood cells a day. Through a blood test We can measure the proportion of white blood cells we have in our blood and, if it is too high, it is possible that there is an infection that is attacking our body.
When there is an infection in our body, inflammation, pain, redness, heat in the affected area, and fever occur. This means that our body is fighting foreign substances and the formation of white blood cells is increased. Therefore, it is normal for the numbers to be a little high, if you do a blood test at that time.
However, there are times when the marrow is affected, as is the case with chemotherapy and leukocytes decrease. Then there is a much greater risk of serious infection.
There are different types of white blood cells taking into account their shape and the function they perform. Usually, we can classify them into granular, which contain granules or sacs in their cytoplasm (they constitute approximately 60% of the total white blood cells) or agranular, which do not contain granules or sacs (they constitute approximately 40% of the total white blood cells).
Within these types, We can distinguish several types of white blood cells.
Neutrophils
They belong to the granular white blood cells and are the most numerous, representing 45-70% of all leukocytes. In a normal count, the amount is between 3,000 and 7,000/mm³. These are the first cells that come when there is an infection. Its main function is locate and neutralize bacteria, so that when they are found in a tissue, they break down to release their substances, which increase blood circulation in the area. In this way, they attract more neutrophils, which is what causes the area to be red and hot.
Eosinophils
The eosinophils They are another type of white blood cell. Are the responsible for responding to allergic reactions, representing 1-5% of circulating leukocytes. Its main function is to deactivate foreign substances in the body, so that they do not cause harm. In addition, its toxic granules kill invading cells, completely clearing the area of inflammation.
Basophils
The basophils They are also granular leukocytes, which represent 0-0.5% of all leukocytes and are involved in allergic reactions. These release histamine a substance that increases blood circulation in the area so that more white blood cells appear. In addition, they help leukocytes leave the blood vessels and move towards the damaged part of the body. Finally, these leukocytes also release heparin, a substance that dissolves blood clots.
Monocytes
The monocytes They are another type of white blood cell. They represent 5% of the total white blood cells and are agranular. Its function is to reach the infection zone to remove dead cells and debris. They contain special enzymes that also kill bacteria.
Lymphocytes
The lymphocytes They are a type of agranular white blood cells and represent 20-30% of all leukocytes. They are formed in the bone marrow, but are later assigned to other parts of the body such as lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils, etc. There are two types of lymphocytes: T lymphocytes and b. T cells kill foreign or infected cells, either directly or by releasing lymphokines; and the B lymphocytes They produce antibodies, which give us immunity against various diseases.
It should be noted that B lymphocytes give rise to a series of cells specialized in antibody production. The most characteristic is the plasmacyte. He plasmacyte It is a B lymphocyte that has been activated by a T lymphocyte, collaborating in the presence of an antigen. This, memorize the structure of the invading microorganism so that, when it reappears, the antibodies with which to neutralize this pathogen can immediately begin to be manufactured.
With the conventional microscope it is not possible to identify the different types of lymphocytes, but it will be necessary to use immunohistochemical markers, which will reveal the presence of certain receptors and exclusive molecules in each person's plasma membrane.
We hope this lesson has helped you learn about the types of white blood cells that exist and what is its function within our body. If you want to continue learning about the wonders of the human body, do not hesitate to consult our biology section.
López Puigdollers, D. (2017). Characterization and classification of white blood cells using local image descriptors.
Cuevas, E., Osuna-Enciso, V., Oliva, D., Wario, F., & Zaldivar, D. (2010). Segmentation and detection of white blood cells in images using Artificial Immune Systems. Mexican journal of biomedical engineering, 31(2), 119-134.
