White Blood Cells(Human Anatomy): Image, Functions, Diseases and Treatments

The cells which are present in our lymphatic system and are responsible for immune regulation of our body are called as white blood cells.

White blood cells known as leukocytes are in charge of protecting your body from infection. White blood cells circulate in your blood as a component of your immune system and react to injury or illness.

Defending against illness, white blood cells do their job. Your white blood cells operate as a command centre, directing the deployment of other white blood cells to the site of an infection in order to battle off the invading microbe.

Your body's white blood cells are the first line of defence against invaders, as they secrete antibody proteins that bind to foreign organisms and ultimately kill them.

White blood cells circulate throughout the body and can traverse the walls of blood vessels and other tissues to get to the source of an infection. In response to an infection, white blood cells in your body generate chemical signals that notify nearby white blood cells.

White blood cells, despite their name, are not actually colourless but instead appear a very pale purple to pink when dyed and viewed under a microscope. These microscopic cells are typically spherical and have a membrane running along the middle (nucleus).

Only by using a microscope can one see individual white blood cells. Although most white blood cells are only 8 microns in size, they can range in size from 4 to 12 microns.

The rest of your blood contains only about 1% white blood cells. Your red blood cell count is much higher than your white blood cell count present in your body.

Soft tissue within your skeleton is where your white blood cells are formed (bone marrow). The thymus gland produces T cells, while the lymph nodes and spleen produce B cells (B cells). Both types of white blood cells are produced in great numbers by your body during your mid- to late-teens and early 20s (T and B cells)

Within the connective tissue of your bones is where you'll find the stem cells that give rise to white blood cells (bone marrow). Massive quantities of mature blood cells (blood cell) are the end result of this transformation; they are distributed throughout the body via the circulatory system.

White blood cells, often known as leukocytes, come in five different varieties.:

• Neutrophils: Combat pathogens including bacteria, fungus, and even foreign debris that could cause an illness.
• Lymphocytes: Viruses can be warded off and proteins to combat infections produced by your immune system, which includes T cells, natural killer cells, and B cells (antibodies).
• Eosinophils: Locate and eliminate parasites and cancer cells; aid basophils in producing an allergic reaction.
• Basophils: causes symptoms of an allergic reaction, including the need to cough, sneeze, and blow one's nose.
• Monocytes: Removing infected or damaged cells is a good defence strategy.

In those with low white blood cell counts, infections are more likely to develop (leukopenia). An abnormally high white blood cell count, or leukocytosis, may be a sign of an infection or a more serious underlying medical condition like leukaemia, lymphoma, or an immune disorder.

• Leukopenia: It is a condition that causes a decrease in the number of WBCs, which may be caused by the death of cells as a result of the illness or another circumstance.
• Leukocytosis: Leukocytosis is the medical term for when there is an increase in the number of WBCs in the bloodstream, which is triggered by inflammatory and other conditions.
• Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A lack of iron Low iron levels cause anaemia. You may feel fatigued and short of breath because your red blood cells (RBCs) are unable to transport enough oxygen to your lungs.
• Pernicious Anaemia: You can't get enough vitamin B-12 because of a condition called pernicious anaemia, which is caused by an immune system malfunction.
• Aplastic Anaemia: Aplastic anaemia occurs when the bone marrow stops creating enough new blood cells. It can come suddenly or slowly, at any age. As a result, you may feel weak and unable to fend off infections or manage uncontrolled bleeding.
• Lymphoma: It is a specific type of blood cancer that manifests in the body's lymphatic system. WBCs alter and grow in an irregular manner. The two most common kinds of lymphoma are Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
• Leukaemia: It is a specific type of blood cancer in which WBCs that are malignant take over the bone marrow. It could be acute or persistent. Chronic leukaemia develops more slowly.
• Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Myelodysplastic syndrome is characterised by an abnormally high production of blasts, or immature cells, by the body. The proliferation of the blasts displaces the mature and healthy cells.
• Von Willebrand disease: An hereditary bleeding problem called von Willebrand disease. It is brought on by a lack of a protein necessary for blood coagulation.

• Blood Culture: The culture medium is formed using a blood sample of the patient in which growth of different bacteria and other microorganisms is evaluated for the proper diagnosis and evaluation of the disease.
• Sputum Culture: The culture of sputum is evaluated for the growth of microorganism which is helpful in finding out the infection.
• Antibody Test: Different forms of antibodies are present in the blood the levels of antibodies found can be evaluated as level of which type of white blood cell is functioning in the blood.
• WBC Count: This examination counts the WBCs in the body. Another name for it is a leukocyte test. A complete blood count, which is often used to check for various disorders that can have an impact on general health, frequently comes with this test.

• Bone Marrow Transplant: Transplants of the bone marrow may either replace or mend damaged marrow. These include introducing stem cells into the body, often from a donor, to assist bone marrow in starting to produce regular blood cells.
• Transfusion of Blood: It restores missing or damaged blood cells. A donor's healthy blood is infused into the patient during a transfusion.