Blood 3-White Blood Cells and Immunity (Lecture 3)

• Our bodies are exposed continuously to different infections by
microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites..)
• White blood cells are the body defense system against these
microorganisms
• Leukocytes defend the body through :

1- By attacking the microorganisms and destroy it directly
2- By forming antibodies that attack the organism
• The leukocytes are called the mobile defense system because they
can move to the site of infection or inflammation
Types of leucocytes
Poly-morpho-nuclear or granulocytes Mononuclear or agranulocytes

Because their nucleus have multiple Because their nucleus have one
lobes and their cytoplasm have granules lobe and their cytoplasm is clear
Neutrophils Eosinophils Basophils Monocytes Lymphocytes
B T
Formed only in bone marrow

Formed in bone marrow and various
lymphoid tissues; lymph glands, spleen,
thymus, tonsils
Differential white cell count
(Percentage distribution of types of leucocytes)
Neutrophils 60-70 %
Eosinophils About 3%
Basophils About 0.4 %
Lymphocytes About 30 %
Monocytes About 5 %
Total white cell count: 4000 -10000/ mm3

Functions of white blood cells
Neutrophils Phagocytic cells. First defenders against bacteria
Attack the parasites and participate in allergic
Eosinophils reactions
Synthesize and store histamine and heparin (form
Basophils mast cells in the tissues)
- Play major role in allergic conditions.
They are the cells of immune system
Especially important in viral infection and cancers
Lymphocytes - B lymphocytes produce antibodies to attack the
invader. This is called (Humoral immunity)
- T lymphocytes attack the invader directly
This is called (Cellular immunity)
Highly phagocytic cells in the blood. They Settle

Monocytes
down in the tissues and converted to macrophages
How neutrophils and macrophages defend the body?
When the microorganism attack the tissue they release factors that
attract the white blood cells these are called (chemotactic factors)
1) The WBC’s travel to the site of infection or inflammation by:

- Diapedesis: The cells leave the capillaries by squeezing themselves
through the endothelium pores
- Chemotaxis: The cells move towards the source of infection by
ameboid motion
2) The WBC’s Phagocytize the organism and the necrotic tissues
3) They phagocytized them because they:

a- Have rough surface
b- Has no protein coat
c- Attached to Antibodies
Basophils &mast cells
The basophils in the circulating blood are similar to the large tissue
mast cells located outside the capillaries in the tissues
They play an important role in allergic reactions:

a - Allergic persons have large numbers of immunoglobulin E (IgE)
b- IgE attach itself to mast cells and basophils
c- When the cell exposed to the antigen, this antigen react with the
antibody IgE on the surface causing cells rupture
d- Ruptured cell release large quantities of inflammatory mediators
as histamine, bradykinin, serotonin, heparin and digestive enzymes
These substances cause local, vascular and tissue reactions

which appear as inflammation
Eosinophils
Eosinophils are weak phagocytes that function in two situations:
1) In parasitic infections: eosinophis attach themselves to the
parasites and release toxins to kills them because most parasites
are too large to be phagocytized
2) In allergic reactions: eosinophils found in large numbers in
response to eosinophil chemotactic factor released by mast cells
and basophils
Functions of eosinophis during allergy:

a- Detoxify the inflammatory substances released by the mast
cells and basophils
b- Phagocytize and destroy antigen-antibody complexes to
prevent excess spread of the local inflammatory process
Disorders of leukocytes
• Leukopenia: decrease number of WBCs production by the bone

marrow
• This might be due to exposure to radiation or side effect of some
drugs like chloramphenicol (antibiotic) or thiouracil (thyroid drug)
• The Leukemias: Uncontrolled production of white blood cells can
be caused by cancerous mutation.
• Leukemia is characterized by greatly increased numbers of
abnormal immature white blood cells in the circulation
(undifferentiated cells)
• In both cases the person become susceptible to infection
Functions of white blood cells in immunity
Immunity is the ability of the body to resist all types of infections or
toxins that tends to damage the tissues
• There are two types of immunity:
1) Innate immunity 2) Acquired immunity
Innate immunity Acquired immunity
Born with us Develop only after exposure to
antigens
Not directed against specific antigen Directed against specific antigen
Mechanisms: Mechanisms:
1- Phagocytosis 1- Antibodies of B-lymphocytes
2- Stomach acid 2- Activated T-lymphocytes
3- Skin integrity
4- Lysosomes
5- Complement proteins
The Lymphocytes are differentiated to form two populations:
the T & B lymphocytes
Preprocessing of lymphocytes occur in the fetal thymus, liver,
and bone marrow
Attack the invader
Attack the invader

Actions of antibodies (Humoral immunity)
Antigen antibody binding
Direct inactivation of the invader by Indirect inactivation of the invader by
Activation of complement system

Agglutination Neutralization
Agglutination Neutralization
Precipitation
Phagocytosis Chemotaxis Lysis
Lysis Mast cells and

Inflammation
basophils activation
Actions of T- Cells (Cellular immunity)
There are three types of T -lymphocytes of distinct functions:
(1) Helper T cells : regulate the immune system by

activating all other cells of the immune system
(2) Cytotoxic T cells: kills the invader directly by secreting toxic

substances into them. It then pull itself and kill other invaders
(3) T-Suppressor cells regulate the immune system by suppressing

the other tow cells from going far and damaging the normal cells

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• Our bodies are exposed continuously to different infections by

microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites..)

• Leukocytes defend the body through :

Poly-morpho-nuclear or granulocytes Mononuclear or agranulocytes

Neutrophils Eosinophils Basophils Monocytes Lymphocytes

Formed only in bone marrow

Basophils About 0.4 %

Total white cell count: 4000 -10000/ mm3

Highly phagocytic cells in the blood. They Settle

1) The WBC’s travel to the site of infection or inflammation by:

3) They phagocytized them because they:

They play an important role in allergic reactions:

These substances cause local, vascular and tissue reactions

Functions of eosinophis during allergy:

• Leukopenia: decrease number of WBCs production by the bone

Attack the invader

Attack the invader

Antigen antibody binding

Direct inactivation of the invader by Indirect inactivation of the invader by

Activation of complement system

Lysis Mast cells and

There are three types of T -lymphocytes of distinct functions:

(1) Helper T cells : regulate the immune system by

(2) Cytotoxic T cells: kills the invader directly by secreting toxic

(3) T-Suppressor cells regulate the immune system by suppressing

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