White blood cells – general characteristics. Types of white blood cells and their specific function. Flashcards
BASOPHIL STRUCTURE
- least common type of WBC = making only 1%
- large dark granules of histamine + heparin
- nucleus = bilobular
- lifespan = hours-days in bloodstream
BASOPHILS FUNCTION 1
BLOOD CLOTTING
basophils release heparin (anticoagulant) + glycosaminoglycan
this it to prevent blood clotting by activity of antithrombin III
BASOPHILS FUNCTION 2
INFLAMMATION
basophils release the histamines / leukotrines = inflammatory mediators
BASOPHILS FUNCTION 3
ALLERGIES
basophils release the histamines
- increase vascular permeability
- increase smooth muscle contraction - blood flow to site of damage
ESONPHIL STRUCTURE
- form 1-4% of WBC count
- red granules that stained with eosin
- bilobular nucleus
- life span = 10 hours in circulation
ESONPHILS FUNCTION 1
PARASITIC INFECTIONS
eosinophils release eosinophils cationic protein + eosinophil perioxidase to kill helminth worms
ESONPHILS FUNCTION 2
ASTHMA
more esonphils released during asthma
ESONPHILS FUNCTION 3
TISSUE REPAIR + REMODELLING
eosinophils release growth factors + enzymes
NEUTROPHILS - STRUCTURE
- make 40-70% of WBC count
- contain granules that stain lightly in dyes
- multi-lobed nucleus
- lifespan in blood is 8 hours
NEUTROPHIL - FUNCTION 1
PHAGOCYTOSIS
NEUTROPHIL - FUNCTION 2
REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES
neutrophils can produce H2O2 which kills bacteria
NEUTROPHIL - FUNCTION 3
DEGRANULATION
neutrophils contain enzymatic granules (protease) released when encountering pathogen to clump/ kill
NEUTROPHIL - FUNCTION 4
CHEMOTAXIS = response to chemical release
neutrophils travel rapidly to site of infection in response to chemical signal
MONOCYTES - STRUCTURE
- 2-8% of total WBC
- largest WBC = lots of cytoplasm
- nucleus = x1 central
- lifespan = few days
MONOCYTE - FUNCTION 1
DIFFERENTITATION
a) monocytes can differentiate into macrophages, eg alveolar macrophages in lungs/ kupffer cells in liver/ microglia cells in brain
b) monocytes can differentiate into dendrites
- antigen presentation onto T cells for adaptive immunity