What is the life expectancy of human leukocytes
In this paper we will consider the following questions:
- composition of blood;
- life expectancy of leukocytes;
- functions of white blood cells;
- types of leukocytes;
- what is the number of leukocytes in a healthy person.
To begin with, briefly about what leukocytes are. These are the white blood cells needed to protect against viruses and repair damaged cells. They are formed from stem cells of the bone marrow. They can be found in the blood and lymphatic fluid.
Further you will find answers to your questions, including how long the life of leukocytes is.
Composition of blood
This section of the article is devoted to all components of human blood. What does it consist of? So, in human blood, we can find the following components:
- erythrocytes;
- leukocytes;
- thrombocytes.
All components are necessary, fulfill theirspecial function. Thus, red blood cells perform the function of transporting oxygen. They are red due to the hemoglobin content, their number exceeds all other components. White blood cells are white, they perform the function of protection. Life expectancy of leukocytes is low. The platelets are responsible for the coagulability of the blood, thanks to them we do not bleed because of the usual small cut with a knife.
The lifespan of white cells
In this section you can learnlife expectancy of leukocytes. In short, you can say this - these bodies die young. The lifetime of human leukocytes ranges from a few days to a couple of weeks. But this does not mean that they are unreliable or fragile. Their strength is as follows: one drop of blood accounts for up to twenty-five thousand white bodies.
If at the time of the blood test, medical workers found a large number of white blood cells, this indicates that there is an infection in the body.
Functions
Earlier it was mentioned that white blood cells perform one very important function - protection against infections. That is, these cells all the time of their existence are at war with foreign bodies.
A healthy person per 1 cubic millimeterblood is up to eleven thousand of these bodies. How do they fight their opponents? Leukocytes are able to swallow or destroy foreign bodies, including cancer cells.
If there are a lot of leukocytes, then this disease is called leukocytosis. The reverse situation is leukopenia. There are some conditions when the number of leukocytes increases. These include:
- physical exercise;
- convulsions;
- stormy emotions;
- pain;
- pregnancy;
- childbirth;
- infection;
- intoxication.
The number of white blood cells decreases in the following cases:
- taking certain drugs;
- chronic anemia;
- malnutrition;
- anaphylaxis.
Types
All white blood cells are divided into the following types:
- monocytes;
- lymphocytes;
- neutrophils;
- basophils;
- eosinophils.
All of them are necessary. The first have the longest service life and the ability to destroy bacteria. The second reproduce antibodies. Still others destroy fungi and bacteria. The fourth are helpers in the control of the immune response. Fifth kill parasites, cancer cells.
