The Five Types of White Blood Cells
*** Notice the size difference of the Red Blood Cell to the rest of the 5 types of White Blood Cells. Platelets, at top, are very small and aid in clotting of the blood ***
Neutrophils: The first to show up at point of injury / infection. They take their name from neutro, which means ‘neutral’, and phil from philia, which means ‘loving’. Each neutrophil consists of four granules in the nucleus, and they cover up around 55-70% of the total WBC count in the blood. They also consist of a sectioned nuclei which is ‘C’ in shape. They typically absorb extraneous materials which may try to enter the bloodstream. Sometimes, they can even be found in the pus or drainage of a wound.
Eosinophils: Primarily attack parasites and any foreign toxins or enzymes. They also play a role in the allergic responses of the blood. The size of an eosinophil is similar to that of a neutrophil. The working procedure of eosinophils is still not exactly known to scientists, but it is believed that there is a considerable rise in their number when the body senses the existence of allergens or parasites.
Basophils: Are the least found cells, with less than 1% of the total WBC count in the blood. They release decoagulants and antibodies which act between hypersensitivity reactions within the blood. They are believed to possess features related to phagocytosis, though they are widely known to immediately respond to external germs and diseases. Their size is similar to that of eosinophils and neutrophils. They are the ones responsible for invoking the process of inflammation when an area of the body experiences warmth, swelling, or pain. During this process, they travel from the bloodstream to the area of inflammation.
Monocytes: Make up approximately 5-8% of the total WBC count in the blood. They are the biggest among all types of WBCs, and have nucleus which are of the shape similar to that of the kidney. They take out all foreign materials and help prevent harmful germs from entering the bloodstream, something which the neutrophils are unable to handle. They consume and digest the body cells which are dead or have become old, and also help remove cells that are not needed by the body.
Lymphocytes: Protect the body from the toxins released by bacteria and germs by producing antibodies. These antibodies function like antitoxins and enter the plasma to destroy harmful bacteria in the blood. The antibodies also cause foreign materials to group together, after which phagocytes engulf and digest them. However, lymphocytes can only recognize and remove certain antigens. Also, lymphocytes are similar in size to a red blood cell.
