White Blood Cell Review

White blood cell review

  • White blood cells

    • Leukocytes, protect body againist infection

  • Innate vs adaptive immune system

  • Innate immune system

    •  macrophages – first line of defense against foreign invades (antigens)

  • Adaptive immune system

    • specialized WBC called B-lymphocytes and T lymphocytes

    • attack specific antigens while maintaining memory for future defensive action.  

  • Life span of WBC

    • Blast cell

      • Differentiate in bone marrow

      • Mature in lymph tissue

  • Lymphatic system

    • they collect debris so that it can be disposed of 

    • Types

      • Lymph nodes

      • Spleen

      • Thymus gland

      • Tonsils

      • Peyers patches

  • How long do wbcs live for?

    • 13-20 days

  • What do WBCs do?

  • What is innate immunity?

  • What is adaptive immunity?

  • Neoplastic disorders of WBC

    • Leukemias

      • cause proliferation of cancerous WBCs

    • Lymphomas

      • solid tumors of lymphoid cells

  • What are monocytes?

    • Mature into macrophages

  • What are lymphocytes?

    • B and T cells,

      • The spies

    • Adaptive Immunity:  After exposure to an antigen, lymphocytes recognize, target, and have memory for specific antigens. They endow the body with long-term immunity

  • What are B cells?

    • Antibody-producing cells within lymph nodes 

    • Mature into plasma cells 

  • What are some types of T cells?

    • T helper (CD4) 

    • Cytotoxic T cells (CD8)

  • Low amounts of WBC can mean? (ex: <4000uL)

    • Leukemia 

  • High amounts of WBC can mean? (ex: >11000

    • Infection

  • What do granulocytes do?

    • kill microorganisms and catabolize debris during (phagocytosis → cells engulf & eat) 

  • What are types of granulocytes?

    • Basophil, eosinophil, neutrophil

      • Neutrophil

        • Most common granulocyte

        • AKA: Polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells

  • How many WBCs in our body?

    • 4,000 - 10,000 cells per microliter (uL)

  • CBC with differential counts what?


  • What are segs?

    • mature

  • What are bands?

    • Immature 

  • What does a high number of bands mean?

    • “SHIFT TO THE LEFT” (indication of acute infection)

    • Infection, bands of bone marrow produce a lot to fight infection

  • What do eosinophils do?

    • released in response to : allergic reaction, parasitic infections)

  • Granules contain what?

    • chemical mediators & enzymes that are toxic to parasites and host tissues ex: HISTAMINE Prostaglandin, Leukotriene, Heparin

  • High number of bands are known as?

    • “Shift to the Left” 

  • what do basophils do?

    • Help neutrophils reach site of inflammation