Neutrophils are cells that make up the normal composition of blood, measuring 9-12 microns. Neutrophils, like all leukocytes, begin their life path in the red bone marrow, developing from a granulocyte germ. Neutrophils owe their name to the tinctorial feature - they can easily be stained with both acidic eosin and dyes consisting of bases. Neutrophil granules can contain enzymes such as myeloperoxidase, lysozyme, hydrolases, lactoferrin and some others, due to which neutrophils are able to perform their basic functions.
Neutrophil function
Neutrophils, like all leukocytes, protect the body from foreign agents, providing protection against any kind of infection - bacterial, fungal or viral. Neutrophils practically do not play any role in antitumor or anthelmintic protection.
In addition, all neutrophils can phagocytize smaller particles or cells, after which, as a rule, they die. In the tissues in which the inflammatory process begins, neutrophils are elevated, and, depending on the complexity of this inflammatory process, live from several hours to several days. After neutrophils repel an infectious threat, they die, forming a mass that is known as pus.
The total number of neutrophils in the blood
It must be said that all neutrophils are divided into young - stab and mature - segmented neutrophils. The number of neutrophils circulating in the blood is calculated from the total number of all leukocytes, according to the so-called leukocyte formula, and ranges from 47 to 72% for segmented, and from 1 to 5% for stab neutrophils.
When are neutrophils elevated?
An increased content of neutrophils in the blood is called neutrophilia. Neutrophils are elevated, maybe if there is a threat of infection, then they begin to actively leave their depot and migrate to infected tissues.
If a clinical blood test shows that neutrophils are elevated, then this will indicate that some inflammatory process is beginning in the body and urgent measures must be taken to treat it. A 2-fold increase in the amount of neutrophils indicates a general inflammatory process. If the number of neutrophils is exceeded by 10 or more times, then the development of acute sepsis is most likely. If the band neutrophils are elevated, and the segmented ones are normal, then this can not serve as a confirmation of the disease, because the content of stab neutrophils in the blood is too low to make at least some correct diagnosis.
In addition, neutrophils in the blood can be elevated for completely physiological reasons, for example, after prolonged physical training.
When are neutrophils in the blood lowered?
A decrease in the total number of neutrophils in the blood is called neutropenia and may indicate the presence of a viral infection or severe inflammatory diseases in which foreign agents can easily defeat neutrophils. In addition, neutrophils in the blood are lowered, there are in case of poisoning with certain types of medications or strong radiation exposure.
A small or one-time change in the number of neutrophils in the blood cannot cause any negative consequences for the body, especially since their number in a normal living organism is constantly changing, responding to the physiological needs of the body. With a one-time or gradual increase in the total neutrophil content in the blood by several times, it is necessary to seek the advice of a specialist who, based on the patient’s medical history, should find out what is the reason.