The body produces white blood cells (leukocytes), which help fight bacterial infections, viruses and fungi. There are several types of them, and the blood usually contains a specific percentage of each type, and despite this, there may be a decrease or increase in the number of white blood cells, which leads to serious diseases.

What are white blood cells?

Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. White blood cells make up only about 1% of blood, and yet they have a significant impact.

White blood cells are also called white blood cells, which are known in English as (White Blood Cells), and white blood cells are formed in the bone marrow, and then stored in the blood and lymph tissues.

shape of white blood cells

Normally, white blood cells are round, irregular in shape, and almost white or transparent in color.

Normal white blood cell count

Babies are often born with much higher numbers of WBCs, which begin to decline gradually with age. The number of WBCs per milliliter of blood (mcL) is as follows:

• new born: From 9,000 to 30,000.
• Children under two years: From 6,200 to 17,000.
• Children over 2 years of age and adults: From 5,000 to 10,000.

These percentages may vary slightly from one laboratory to another, but if the number of white blood cells is too few or too many, this may indicate a disorder, in the case of:

Leukopenia: It is a decrease in the number of white blood cells to less than 4,000 cells per microliter of blood, which makes people more susceptible to infection.

Leukocytosis: It is an increase in the number of white blood cells to more than 11,000 cells per microliter of blood, most often due to the body fighting infection, as a result of taking certain medications, or as a result of bone marrow cancer.

Types of white blood cells

Several different types of white blood cells exist to defend the body against infections, including:

Neutrophils

Neutrophils make up nearly half of the white blood cell count, and are usually the first type to respond to an attack by bacteria or viruses.

Once released from the bone marrow, these cells live for only eight hours; So the body needs to produce approximately 100 billion of these cells daily.

Eosinophils

Eosinophils make up more than 5% of the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream, and they play a role in fighting off bacteria as well, and are very important in responding to parasitic infections such as worms.

Basophils

Basophils make up only about 1% of the white blood cell count, and these cells are important in creating an immune response to certain pathogens, such as disease-causing organisms.

Despite their role in defending the body, these cells release histamine, which can lead to inflammation, narrowing of the airways, and asthma.

Lymphocytes

Lymphocytes are also necessary for the body’s immunity, and they come in two forms:

• B cells, which are responsible for the immune response that includes antibodies against infection.
• T cells, which are responsible for getting rid of and killing the cells that caused the infection.

Monocytes

They make up about 5% to 12% of the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream, and their most important function is to clean up dead cells in the body.

function of white blood cells

White blood cells protect the body from infection. They locate the infection by moving through the bloodstream and tissues, then send the signal to the rest of the species to help defend the body, by producing proteins (antibodies); To stick to the alien organism and destroy it.

White blood cell disorders

The white blood cell count can be abnormal for several reasons, such as when the bone marrow stops producing enough white blood cells.

So the doctor resorts to a blood test; To find out the number of white blood cells in the body, and whether their number is normal, very low, or very high, there may be a disorder in the white blood cells.

Diseases and conditions that may affect white blood cell levels include:

Some medications can also raise or lower the number of white blood cells in the body.