Granulocyte
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Overview
Granulocytes are a category of white blood cells characterised by the presence of granules in their cytoplasm.[1] They are also called polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN or PML) because of the varying shapes of the nucleus, which is usually lobed into three segments. In common parlance, the term polymorphonuclear leukocyte often refers specifically to neutrophil granulocytes,[2] the most abundant of the granulocytes. Granulocytes or PMN are released from the bone marrow by the regulatory complement proteins.
Classification
There are three types of granulocytes, distinguished by their appearance under Wright's stain:
 Eosinophil granulocyte |
 Basophil granulocyte |
Their names are derived from their staining characteristics; for example, the most abundant granulocyte is the neutrophil granulocyte, which has neutrally-staining cytoplasmic granules.
Other white blood cells which are not granulocytes ("agranulocytes") are mainly lymphocytes and monocytes.
Toxic materials produced or released
Examples of toxic materials produced or released by degranulation by granulocytes on the ingestion of microorganism includes:
- Low pH vesicles (3.5~4.0)
- Toxic oxygen-derived products (e.g. superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxy radicals, singlet oxygen, hypohalite)
- Toxic nitrogen oxides (nitric oxide)
- Antimicrobial agents (Defensins and cationic proteins)
- Enzymes (Lysozyme- dissolves cell walls of some gram positive bacteria, acid hydrolases- further digest bacteria).
Pathology
Granulocytopenia is an abnormally low concentration of granulocytes in the blood. This condition reduces the body's resistance to many infections. Closely-related terms include agranulocytosis and neutropenia.
A granuloma is a tumor containing granulocytes, and a "granulomatosis" is a necrotizing granuloma.
There is usually a granulocyte chemotactic defect in individuals who suffer from insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Additional images
 Blood cell lineage |
 Hematopoiesis |
See also
References
- ↑ granulocyte at eMedicine Dictionary
- ↑ polymorphonuclear+leukocyte at eMedicine Dictionary
External links
Immune system / Immunology | |
|---|---|
| Systems | Adaptive immune system vs. Innate immune system • Humoral immune system vs. Cellular immune system • Complement system (Anaphylatoxins) • Intrinsic immune system |
| Antibodies and antigens | Antibody (Monoclonal antibodies, Polyclonal antibodies, Autoantibody) • Allotype • Isotype • Idiotype • Antigen (Superantigen) |
| Immune cells | White blood cells (T cell, B cell, NK cell, Mast cell, Basophil, Eosinophil) • Phagocyte (Neutrophil, Macrophage, Dendritic cell) • Antigen-presenting cell • Reticuloendothelial system |
| Immunity vs. tolerance | Immunity • Autoimmunity • Allergy • Tolerance (Central) • Immunodeficiency |
| Immunogenetics | Somatic hypermutation • V(D)J recombination • Immunoglobulin class switching • MHC / HLA |
| Substances | Cytokines • Opsonin • Cytolysin |
| Other | Inflammation • Epitope (Hapten) • Cross-reactivity |
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Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
