White blood cells
(Redirected from Leukocytes)
White blood cells (also known as leukocytes or leucocytes) are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. All white blood cells are produced and derived from multipotent cells in the bone marrow known as hematopoietic stem cells.
Types of White Blood Cells[edit | edit source]
There are five main types of white blood cells, which include:
- Neutrophils: These are the most common type of white blood cell and are first to respond to infections.
- Lymphocytes: These white blood cells are part of the immune system and are divided into B and T cells.
- Monocytes: These cells have longer life spans than many white blood cells and help to break down bacteria.
- Eosinophils: These cells are responsible for combating multicellular parasites and certain infections in vertebrates.
- Basophils: These are the least common of the white blood cells and are responsible for allergic and antigen response by releasing the chemical histamine causing the dilation of blood vessels.
Function[edit | edit source]
White blood cells are an essential part of the body's immune system. They help fight infections by attacking bacteria, viruses, and germs that invade the body. White blood cells originate in the bone marrow but circulate throughout the bloodstream.
Disorders Related to White Blood Cells[edit | edit source]
There are several disorders related to white blood cells, which include:
- Leukemia: This is a group of blood cancers that usually begins in the bone marrow and results in high numbers of abnormal white blood cells.
- Lymphoma: This is a group of blood cell tumors that develop from lymphocytes.
- Myeloma: This is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell responsible for producing antibodies.
See Also[edit | edit source]
| White blood cells Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
