White Blood Cells
White blood cells (WBCs) form the part of
your immune system which is responsible for fighting infection and
defending the body against other foreign materials. Various kinds of
WBCs are involved in recognizing intruders, destroying harmful bacteria,
and synthesizing antibodies to defend your body from future exposure to
nasty bacteria and viruses.
Types of White Blood Cells
There are 5 main types of white blood cells, which include:
Neutrophils - Around half of your white blood cells are neutrophils.
These cells are normally the first to appear in response to threats. As
first responders, they also send out messages which alert other immune
cells to respond. Your body produces close to 100 billion neutrophils
each day, and once they are released from the bone marrow live for only 8
hours.
Lymphocytes (B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes) - There are 2 types of
lymphocytes, with T cells being responsible for directly killing
infections, while B cells are responsible for humoral immunity. They
create the antibodies which "remember" a threat and stand ready in case
your body should ever be exposed to them again.
Monocytes - Monocytes are practically your
immune system's garbage trucks. Around 5 percent of your white blood
cells are monocytes, and their most essential function is to move into
tissue and clean up any dead cells.
Eosinophils - Eosinophils play a critical role when it comes to fighting
off bacteria, and they are also very important in responding to
parasitic infections. They are also notorious for their role in
producing allergy symptoms when they essentially believe that something
harmless (such as pollen) is an invader. These are only around 1% of the
white blood cells in your body but are highly concentrated in the
digestive tract.
Basophils - Basophils also make up only 1% of your body's white blood
cells, and are important in mounting a non-specific immune response to
infections. Basophils are best known for their role in asthma, since
their stimulation may result in the inflammation and bronchoconstriction
of your airways.
Conditions Involving High White Blood Cell Levels
There are a number of reasons why a person's white blood cell count may be too high, including:
Infections
Stress
Exercise
Certain cancers
Inflammation
Autoimmune disorders
Trauma ranging from emotional stress to fractures
Pregnancy
Asthma
Allergies
Conditions With Low White Blood Cell Levels
There are also quite a few reasons as to why white blood cell levels could be too low, including:
Severe infections
Bone marrow damage
Aplastic anemia
Drug or chemical-related damage to your bone marrow
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus
Splenic sequestration
Symptoms of a Low White Blood Count
A low white blood cell count may be accompanied by quite a number of symptoms. These may include:
Blood in the stools
Fever
Cough
Pain or frequency of urination
Diarrhea
Redness, swelling, or warmth in a region of infection