complement system

Definition Lymphocytes are a highly specialized subgroup of leukocytes, the white blood cells that belong to the immune system, the body’s own defense system. Their name is derived from the lymphatic system, as they are particularly common there. Their main task is primarily to defend the body against pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. For … Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!

Anatomy and development of lymphocytes Lymphocytes are with 6-12 μm very size-variable and are particularly noticeable by the large dark cell nucleus, which fills almost the entire cell. The rest of the cell can be recognized as a thin cytoplasmic fringe, which contains only a few mitochondria for energy production and ribosomes for the production … Anatomy and development of lymphocytes | Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!

B-Lymphocytes The majority of mature B cells develop into plasma cells upon activation, whose task is to produce antibodies against foreign substances. Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins that can bind to very specific structures, so-called antigens. These are mostly proteins, but often also sugars (carbohydrates) or lipids (fatty molecules). The antibodies are also called immunoglobulins and … B-Lymphocytes | Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!

Natural killer cells Natural killer cells or NK cells fulfill a similar role as the T-killer cells, but unlike the other lymphocytes, they do not belong to the adaptive but to the innate immune system. This means they are permanently functional without having to be activated beforehand. However, their reaction is difficult to regulate. Nevertheless, … Natural killer cells | Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!

What can be the cause if the lymphocytes are reduced? Lymphocytopenia often occurs as a result of therapy and is not considered pathological in this context: this is particularly common in treatment with corticoids, especially cortisone, and in the administration of antilymphocyte globulin. Both are used specifically to suppress inflammatory reactions. Other forms of therapy … What can be the cause if the lymphocytes are reduced? | Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!

Life span of lymphocytes The lifespan of lymphocytes can vary greatly due to their different tasks: lymphocytes that never came into contact with antigens (foreign body structures) die after only a few days, while activated lymphocytes, e.g. plasma cells, can survive for about 4 weeks. The longest survival is achieved by memory cells, which can … Life span of lymphocytes | Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!

Lymphocyte Typing Lymphocyte typing, also called immune status or immunophenotyping, is a procedure that studies the formation of different surface proteins, mostly so-called CD markers (cluster of differentiation). Since these proteins differ in the different lymphocyte types, a so-called expression pattern of the surface proteins can be created by using artificially produced, color-marked antibodies. This … Lymphocyte Typing | Lymphocytes – You should definitely know this!