White blood cells Flashcards
What are the granulocytes (in order of abundance)?
Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils
What are the different mononuclear cells (in order of abundance)?
T cell, Monocyte, B cell, NK cells
Are granulocytes or mononuclear cells more dense?
Granulocytes
What are the different types of lymphocytes?
T, B and NK cells
What is lymphocytes role?
Underpin adaptive immunity, act with Igs and complement to instigate immunity.
What do phagocytes do?
Innate immune response
Contribute to inflammatory process
Actively ingest invading pathogens
What are the cell types in the innate response?
Monocytes
Neutrophils
Basophils
Describe how chromosomal material is packed in neutrophils
2-5 distinct lobes hence polymorphonuclear leucocytes
Describe staining patterns of neutrophils
Don’t stain with eosin or basic dye
How long do neutrophils live for?
Roughly 10 hours
What are neutrophils cleared by?
Macrophages
Are neutrophils antigen presenting?
No
How are neutrophils effector cells?
Identify, phagocytose and kill microorganisms especially bacteria
Distinguish between macrophages and neutrophils
Macrophages are not blood cells. Neutrophils are first attracted to a site and they proliferate before being phagocytosed by macrophages. Then macrophages dominate infected sites
What are neutrophils sensitive to?
Chemotactic factors from bacteria attracting them to infection site
What is pus?
Accumulation of WBCs (esp neutrophils), dead pathogens, cellular debris from collateral damage to host cell
Describe how neutrophils arise
From myeloid cells via granulocyte stem cells
Describe cytoplasm of neutrophil
Packed with granules and lysosomes
What do secondary granules in neutrophils contain?
Contain enzymes (e.g. collagenase) that lyse cells and digest their contents or deprive them of iron
What do granules in neutrophils release their contents into?
Phagolysosome
What does primary granule do?
Contains enzymes that generate toxic oxidative species e.g. hydrogen peroxide
Describe staining pattern of eosinophils?
Stain orange pink with eosin (abundant basic protien)
What is the role of eosinophils?
Increased production in chronic allergic conditions (e.g. asthma: degranulation these cells target bronchi causing wheezing) or parasitic infection (e.g. hookworm) - may protect against damaging effects of long-standing allergic reactions
What do eosinophils passively absorb, why?
IgE to give them receptors to recognise specific antigen
What are exocytosed substances in eosinophils stored in?
Large, dense, ovoid granules
Describe structure of eosinophils
Similar to neutrophil but larger with 2-3 lobed nucleus
What are basophils homologues to?
Homologues in blood of mast cells in tissue
Where are basophils rarely found?
Peripheral blood (they enter blood and tissues and become mast cells)