White Blood Cells

White Blood Cells, which are also known as leucocytes, are one of the many components - including the different types of cells that, together, form blood.

The structure of white blood cells (or 'leucocytes') can be summarized as follows:

• There are different types of leucocytes, classified as:
  • Granular, e.g. neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
  • Agranular, that is - do not contain granules, e.g. monocytes, lymphocytes
• Have a longevity of a few hours to a few days but some can remain for many years.
• There are approx. 5,000 - 10,000 white blood cells per micro-litre of blood.

The most functions of white blood cells (or 'leucocytes') include :

• White blood cells are a major part of the immune system.

For more information about other components (sometimes called the 'constituents') of blood, see the page about the structure and functions of blood. This may interest students of holistic massage, reflexology, beauty therapies, or health-related courses.