In the blood test, a point is often observed where granulocytes are indicated - these are particles called white cells, or granular leukocytes. By the number of these components, it is possible to correctly diagnose a person’s disease state. For any ailment, the biomaterial of blood cells is subjected to laboratory research.
Why do I need to determine blood counts
In blood tests, granulocytes are the main parameter for assessing the general condition of the body. Any process of inflammation is accompanied by a sharp increase in the number of granular bodies. The disease can be detected before the onset of severe conditions according to laboratory tests.
The most accurate results are obtained on automatic equipment that eliminates errors due to inexperience of staff. In the latest test methods, the results are often given in terms and abbreviations that the clinic staff should interpret. For ease of perception, analyzes prescribe comments that may differ in different laboratories.
In addition to granulocytes, other blood parameters are given in the research results: hemoglobin, platelets, erythrocytes, etc. This allows you to compile a detailed report on any stage of the disease. If necessary, the doctor will direct the person to additional tests to confirm the alleged diagnosis.
What types are there?
Granulocytes are (these include basophils, eosinophils and neutrophils) human protective cells. When viewed under high magnification, the granular structure of blood cells becomes noticeable. In the body, they make up more than 50% of all white blood cells.
Granulocytes are the following particles of blood:
- basophils, which are immune reconnaissance cells;
- eosinophils that absorb relatively small sizes of foreign inclusions in the human body;
- neutrophils - the main protector of human blood, destroying bacteria in the body. They are also called white blood cells.
For the normal functioning of the protective mechanisms of the human body requires a huge number of neutrophils. Basophils do not enter the struggle, their task is to timely inform about the presence of a foreign substance. Therefore, their content in the blood is minimal.
What are white blood cells?
The main granulocytes are neutrophils, otherwise referred to as leukocytes. Their task is to rid the body of the following types of pathogenic microorganisms: viruses, bacteria, parasites. The increase in their number indicates the fight against infections and that the patient should be checked for the listed types of infection.
The infection can be internal, so without a doctor it will be difficult to find the source of the ailment, and in the absence of a medical education you can get confused in terms and definitions. White blood cells are suppressed and die under the influence of potent drugs. This should be remembered and before taking the tests you need to take a break in taking medications.
Also, the number of leukocytes decreases in conditions when a person has a blood disease. The task of white cells is the destruction of pathogenic particles by the absorption method. As a result, the protective bodies die. Before the formation of such an ability, the process of maturation takes place.
White blood cells (neutrophils) are produced in the bone marrow. Some of them are always located in the parietal space of blood vessels, the rest constantly wander around the body. Their lifespan is about 7 days in the blood fluid. In tissues, the period of existence is reduced and is no more than 2 days.
Eosinophilic white blood cells
In studies, blood cells are stained with special dyes. And this group of granulocytes is so called because of the use of eosin. Acid dye only reacts with the named bodies. A color change is also required because the structure of the grains of eosinophils is blurred, it is difficult to distinguish them with a significant excess of the norm.
If these granulocytes in the blood are elevated, then we can conclude about an allergic reaction. Often, these bodies accumulate after infection of the body with parasites. Eosinophils effectively fight pathological agents - an antigen-antibody. The latter appear as a result of the destruction of foreign microorganisms.
White bodies - scouts
The protective function of the body is supported by basophils. Thanks to reconnaissance cells, when they detect viruses and bacteria, blood flow increases and fluid flow builds up in the area of inflammation.
If granulocytes are elevated, the causes of this condition are as follows:
- chemical infection of a person;
- poisoning with poison, poor-quality food;
- ingestion of substances into which an acute allergic reaction forms (eosinophils are the main source of anaphylactic shock);
- reaction to a powerful drug.
Eosinophils are able to dissolve allergic substances due to vitamin E, which is present in their composition in large quantities. It is released outside to neutralize foreign substances in the human body, due to which, by the way, shock conditions develop. A feature of these white cells is the ability to exist outside of blood vessels.
Quantitative indicators
If granulocytes are elevated, the causes are the spread of infection throughout the body. In the analyzes, quantitative values of the norm are indicated in the range from 1.2 to 6.8 per 10 to the 9th degree. This total number may not change, but the ratio of neutrophils, basophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils varies. Indicates the percentage:
- Basophils depend on age: up to 1 year from 0.4 to 0.9%, up to 21 years from 0.6 to 1%.
- In eosinophils, the norm is from 120 to 350 per 1 ml of blood. In the morning, the norm values exceed 15% of the normal state, in the first half of the night - by 30%. Fluctuations in values occur when the adrenal gland changes.
- Normally, neutrophils can be stab - not more than 6% and segmented - not more than 70%, but not less than 40%.
Leukocyte lymphocytes - the basis of immunity
In humans, immunity is described by two components. These include white blood cells and additionally used antibodies, granulocytes - these are lymphocytes, which are also white blood cells. They fight viruses, cancer cells, bacteria. In the process of destruction of foreign particles, the formation of stable bonds called antibodies. Thus, the formation of sustainable protection against subsequent infections by the same cells.
When reading the transcript of tests, patients often have the question: elevated white blood cells and lowered granulocyte lymphocytes - what does this mean? Answering it, experts pay attention to the state of the remaining blood counts and patient complaints and identify symptoms to obtain a reliable picture of malaise.
Underestimated values of lymphocytes are associated with certain factors:
- Medicines, chemotherapy, oncology education. For blood cells, antibiotics are negative: penicillin, sulfanilamide.
- The development of agranulocytosis.
- Anemia (it is accompanied by a decrease in lymphocytes and hemoglobin).
- Various kinds of viral infections: herpes, hepatitis, tuberculosis, flu.
- Inflammation in the body.
- Irradiation of a person with ionizing waves (this condition is called radiation sickness).
- Other types of violations: radiation exposure, poisoning, injuries.
Overvalued
If the norm of granulocytes is exceeded, an appropriate diagnosis is made. So, eosinophilia is observed with a huge list of diseases: leukemia, tumor formations, allergies, radiation, heart defects. This condition needs to be treated, and recovery of indicators will occur when the inflammation passes.
Neutrophilia is established after deciphering adverse analyzes. Large quantitative values, for example, indicate an infection and purulent inflammation in the body. Granulocytes also increase with myocardial infarction and poisoning after an insect bite.
Basophilia occurs with chemical or poisoning, with the development of tumors. Large values of granulocytes indicate protein saturation of the blood, which means that the body is struggling with foreign bodies.