2. Leukocytes 2024

Leukocytes

White blood cells that play a key role in the immune response.

Hematopoiesis

The process of blood cell formation and differentiation.

Leukocytosis

An increased white blood cell count.

Leukopenia

A decreased white blood cell count.

Neutrophils

A type of white blood cell that is essential for fighting infections by phagocytosing pathogens.

Eosinophils

A type of white blood cell that is involved in the allergic response and combating parasitic infections.

Basophils

A type of white blood cell that plays a role in inflammatory responses and allergic reactions.

Lymphocytes

White blood cells involved in the adaptive immune response, including B cells and T cells.

Monocytes

A type of white blood cell that differentiates into macrophages and dendritic cells in tissues.

Buffy coat

The white layer formed in a microhematocrit tube, containing white blood cells above the red blood cells layer.

Microhematocrit tube

A device used to separate blood components by centrifugation to assess the white blood cell population.

Differential cell count

A test that determines the percentage of different types of white blood cells in a sample.

Phagocytosis

The process by which certain white blood cells engulf and digest microorganisms and foreign particles.

Stem cell pool

The pool of undifferentiated cells in the bone marrow capable of giving rise to all blood cell types.

Mitotic pool

A portion of the bone marrow containing actively dividing precursor cells of neutrophils.

Corticosteroid response

The physiological response involving the release of corticosteroids, affecting leukocyte dynamics during stress.

Left shift

An increased concentration of immature neutrophils (bands) in the blood, indicating acute inflammation.

Right shift

An increased concentration of hypersegmented neutrophils in the blood, often seen in older neutrophil cells.

Toxic change

Morphologic abnormalities in neutrophils indicating inflammation, such as less condensed chromatin and vacuolation.

Eosinophilia

An increased number of eosinophils in the blood, often due to allergies or parasitic infections.

Neutrophilia

An increased number of neutrophils in the blood, commonly seen in response to inflammation.