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White Blood Cells Function

This article is all about white blood cells , white blood cells types and their functions and what happens if a person has Low and high white Blood Cells and how to increase white blood cells .

White blood cells are a type of blood cell that aids in disease resistance. White blood cells are created in the bone marrow by stem cells and are located in the blood and lymph tissue. WBC ( white blood cells)    are also referred to as leukocytes. WBC (white blood cells) has a lifetime of roughly 13 to 20 days. They are then destroyed within the lymphatic system. White blood cell counts in the blood range from 4,500 to 11,000 per microlitre.

white blood cells (WBCs) are essential because they can help haematologists diagnose a variety of blood illnesses, including leukaemia, some immunological disorders, and certain types of cancer. WBC can be counted and classified in a variety of ways, both automatically and manually. 

WBC has a number of medical issues, including results that are inaccurate due to sampling errors and statistical inaccuracies.

Poor sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values are associated with probability

White Blood Cell Types and Their Functions:

White blood cells are classified into three groups.

  1.  Granulocytes – Granulocytes are a kind of WBC that contain tiny protein granules. These are further subdivided into three 

categories

  • Basophils: Basophils are immune cells that aid in the fight against parasitic infections. In addition, it has the following capabilities: Basophil contains a component called heparin, which is a blood-thinning agent that prevents blood from clotting inside the body. When the immune system is exposed to an allergen, the basophil releases a substance called histamine, which aids in the killing of the allergens. Histamine is well known for its 

role in the treatment of asthma.

  •  Eosinophils: Eosinophils are immune system cells that play a role in both inflammatory and anti-parasitic responses
  • Neutrophils: Neutrophils aid in the healing of damaged tissues as well as the prevention of bacterial and viral infections.

The differences between basophils, eosinophils, and neutrophils are as follows:

Characteristic

Basophils

Eosinophils

Neutrophils

Role

Help to diagnose autoimmune disease or blood related disorder

Help to fight against allergies and disease

Provide an immunological response to any attack by foreign particles.

Nucleus

Multi lobed nucleus

Bean shaped nucleus

Two or bilobed nucleus

Life span

Life span is about 60 to 70 hours 

Life span is about 8 to 12 hour

lifespan is between 5 to 90 hours

Size

Diameter is of 10 – 14 micrometres

Diameter is of 12 – 17 micrometre

Diameter is of 8.86 micrometre

Disorder

Hypothyroidism

Leukopenia (low level) and 

and eosinophilia (high level)

High-level leukocytosis and neutropenia (low level)

  1. Lymphocytes – The lymphocytes are further divided into three types:
  • B cells : B lymphocytes create antibodies in the immune system and are also known as B cells.
  • T Cells: T cells, also known as T lymphocytes, aid in the recognition and removal of infection-causing microorganisms.
  • Natural Killer Cells (NKCs) : These cells are in charge of attacking and killing infections, as well as cancerous cells.

B cells and T cells differences

Characteristic

B cells

T Cells

Site of maturation

It oriented and mature in bone the marrow

It oriented in the bone marrow and mature in the thymes

Also called

B lymphocytes

T lymphocytes

Position

Presented outside the lymph nodes

Presented in  side the lymph nodes

Life span

Shorter life span

Larger life span compared to B cells

 

  1. 3. Monocytes –  Monocytes produce about 2–8% of the WBC and aid in the battle against chronic infections.

White blood cells normal range

White blood cells normal range based on age

Age 

Normal range per (cubic millimetres)

 

Newborn

13,000 to 38,0000

2 weeks old baby

5000 to 28,000

Adult

4,500 to 11,000

What Happens When a Person’s White Blood Cell Count Is Too High

Leukocytosis is a disorder that occurs when the number of white blood cells in the body rises.

The medical conditions listed below are caused by a high white blood cell count.

  1. Asthma attack
  2. Heart attack
  3. Rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases
  4. Leukaemia.

What Happens If a Person’s White Blood Cell Count Is Low

Leukopenia is a disorder that occurs when the human body produces fewer white blood cells (WBC). 

The following are the symptoms of leukopenia.

  • Disorders of the bone marrow 
  • Deficiency in vitamin B-12 
  • HIV, autoimmune diseases

How To Increase White Blood Cells

White blood cell numbers can’t be increased with supplements or certain diets. Iron supplementation is frequently misunderstood as a cause of decreased white blood cell counts. Iron supplements should only be used if your RED blood cell count is low. Neupogen is a medicine that aids in the generation of white blood cells or prevents the loss of white blood cells as a result of chemotherapy. Because Neupogen has no effect on digestion or interacts with any food, there are no nutritional guidelines.

When white blood cells are low, though, your immune system isn’t performing as well as it should, putting you at danger of infection. When handling, preparing, or consuming dangerous foods, this can make you more susceptible to being ill. 

Overall, eating a well-balanced diet with enough calories to maintain weight and enough protein during treatment is the greatest method to support your immune function and white blood cell production. Each kilogramme of body weight requires 1.2-1.5 grams of protein, and each pound of body weight requires 13-15 calories. If your appetite is poor, you may wish to add Boost or Ensure liquid supplements to your diet for extra calories and protein to help you maintain your weight and protein storage. You can also select foods with a higher protein content.

Conclusion

As a result, we can conclude that blood cells are crucial to our survival. It keeps track of foreign objects and protects our body. They also offer necessary nutrients as well as oxygen to cells and tissues. Human blood contains a large number of white blood cells. White blood cells all have nuclei, which distinguishes them from other blood cells as well as between different types and subtypes of white blood cells. The varieties of white blood cells and their structures are discussed in this article.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the NEET UG Examination Preparation.

What are the signs and symptoms of a low WBC ( white blood cells) count?

Answer.  The signs and symptoms of a low white blood cell count in a human body are listed below: ...Read full

What are some of the most prevalent symptoms or signs of white blood cell disorders?

Answer.  A WBC disorder can be extremely harmful to your health. It necessitates immediate medical attention...Read full

What are the treatments for white blood cell disorders?

Answer. WBC ( white blood cells) problems are treated differently according to the diagnosis and severity of ...Read full