Posts Tagged ‘Monocyte’

White Blood Cells Labeled World’s Smallest Crime Fighter

You may ask why white blood cells labeled as crime fighters make much sense. In its simplest form white blood cells are how we fight infection. Like a thief who comes to steal our belongings, infections and other nasties, come to steal our health and well-being. This is when the white blood cells do their job. Without them, we wouldn’t stand a chance against all the ugly, unhealthy organisms we come in contact with each day. These tiny, but strong, crime fighters act as a force field keeping us safe from outside invaders.

Because they are constantly circulating in the blood stream, the white blood cells can go to an area of the body where they are needed. Normal adults have about seven thousand of these white blood cells for every micro-liter of blood. This adds up to a lot. They live only for a few days at a time. When an infection invades the body, the numbers go up even higher. Six major types of white blood cells exist. When an infection hits our body, the white blood cells labeled to deal with it spring into action and go to work. Because they are constantly circulating in the blood stream, the white blood cells can go to an are of the body at any time. Normal adults have about seven thousand of these white blood cells for every micro-liter of blood. This adds up to a lot. When an infection invades the body, the numbers go up even higher.

Six major types of white blood cells exist. These include Neutrohils, Basophils, Eosinophils, Monocytes which live in the body’s bone marrow. The Bands are baby Neutrohils that have not reached adulthood. The final type, lymphocytes, are the ones we are most familiar with. The white blood cells labeled, or leucocytes, are the ones that decide how good or bad our immune system is. No matter what the problem is, there is a leucocyte to handle it. Its like an anti-theft system for your body.

No matter what type invader, the leucocytes are ready for a fight. Some of the leucocytes will overtake the germ and kill it before it gets started while others will create an antibody that will kill the organism now and in the future. This is why vaccines are so important. It allows the white blood cells to meet and learn how to fight against diseases. They are constantly on the job ready to give it their all in keeping us healthy. They are guarding us even when we aren’t aware of it. These tiny white blood cells labeled as an amazing miracle are constantly on the move looking for the next infection or bad organism trying to get in to hurt us.