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Basophil granulocyte

 
Basophil Granulocyte

 
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Basophil granulocyte
 
 
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Basophils are the least common of the granulocyte
Granulocyte

Granulocytes are a category of white blood cells characterised by the presence of Granule s in their cytoplasm. They are also called polymorphonuclear leukocytes because of the varying shapes of the cell nucleus, which is usually lobed into three segments....
s, representing about 0.01% to 0.3% of circulating leukocytes (white blood cells).

The name comes from the fact that these leucocytes are basophilic, i.e., they are susceptible to staining by base
Base (chemistry)

In chemistry, a base is most commonly thought of as an aqueous substance that can accept protons. A base is also often referred to as an alkali if OH- ions are involved....
 dye
Dye

A dye can generally be described as a colored substance that has an Chemical affinity to the Wiktionary:substrate to which it is being applied....
s, as shown in the picture.

Basophils contain large cytoplasm
Cytoplasm

The cytoplasm is the part of a Cell that is enclosed within the plasma membrane. In eukaryote cells the cytoplasm contains organelles, such as mitochondrion, that are filled with liquid kept separate from the rest of the cytoplasm by biological membranes....
ic granules which obscure the cell nucleus
Cell nucleus

In cell biology, the nucleus , also sometimes referred to as the "control center", is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in all eukaryote cell ....
 under the microscope
Microscope

A microscope is an Laboratory equipment for viewing objects that are too small to be seen by the naked or unaided eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy....
.






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Pbbasophil
Basophil
Basophils are the least common of the granulocyte
Granulocyte

Granulocytes are a category of white blood cells characterised by the presence of Granule s in their cytoplasm. They are also called polymorphonuclear leukocytes because of the varying shapes of the cell nucleus, which is usually lobed into three segments....
s, representing about 0.01% to 0.3% of circulating leukocytes (white blood cells).

The name comes from the fact that these leucocytes are basophilic, i.e., they are susceptible to staining by base
Base (chemistry)

In chemistry, a base is most commonly thought of as an aqueous substance that can accept protons. A base is also often referred to as an alkali if OH- ions are involved....
 dye
Dye

A dye can generally be described as a colored substance that has an Chemical affinity to the Wiktionary:substrate to which it is being applied....
s, as shown in the picture.

Basophils contain large cytoplasm
Cytoplasm

The cytoplasm is the part of a Cell that is enclosed within the plasma membrane. In eukaryote cells the cytoplasm contains organelles, such as mitochondrion, that are filled with liquid kept separate from the rest of the cytoplasm by biological membranes....
ic granules which obscure the cell nucleus
Cell nucleus

In cell biology, the nucleus , also sometimes referred to as the "control center", is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in all eukaryote cell ....
 under the microscope
Microscope

A microscope is an Laboratory equipment for viewing objects that are too small to be seen by the naked or unaided eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy....
. However, when unstained, the nucleus is visible and it usually has 2 lobes. The mast cell
Mast cell

A mast cell is a resident cell of several types of tissues and contains many Granule rich in histamine and heparin. Although best known for their role in allergy and anaphylaxis, mast cells play an important protective role as well, being intimately involved in wound healing and defense against pathogens....
, a cell
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
 in tissues
Biological tissue

Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. Hence, a tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function....
, has many similar characteristics. For example, both cell types store histamine
Histamine

Histamine is a biogenic amine involved in local immune system as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter....
, a chemical that is secreted by the cells when stimulated in certain ways (histamine causes some of the symptoms of an allergic
Allergy

Allergy is a Disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to Natural environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are Acquired disorder, predictable and rapid....
 reaction). Like all circulating granulocytes, basophils can be recruited out of the blood
Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
 into a tissue when needed.

Function


Basophils appear in many specific kinds of inflammatory
Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
 reactions, particularly those that cause allergic symptoms. Basophils contain anticoagulant heparin, which prevents blood from clotting too quickly. They also contain the vasodilator histamine, which promotes blood flow to tissues. They can be found in unusually high numbers at sites of exoparasite infection, e.g., tick
Tick

Tick is the common name for the small arachnids in superfamily Ixodoidea that, along with other mites, constitute the Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites , living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians....
s. They also appear in tissues where allergic reactions are occurring and probably contribute to the severity of these reactions. Basophils have protein receptors on their cell surface that bind IgE antibody
Antibody

Antibodies are gamma globulin proteins that are found in blood or other bodily fluids of vertebrates, and are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacterium and viruses....
 very tightly. It is the bound IgE antibody that confers a selective response of these cells to environmental substances, for example, pollen
Pollen

Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of Gametophyte , which produce the male gametes of spermatophyta. A hard coat covering the pollen grain protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement between the stamens of the flower to the pistil of the next flower....
 protein
Protein

Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid Residue ....
s. Recent studies in mice suggest that basophils may also regulate the behavior of T cells
T cell

T cells belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocyte types, such as B cells and natural killer cells by the presence of a special receptor on their cell surface called T cell receptors ....
 and mediate the magnitude of the secondary immune response.

Secretions

When activated, basophils degranulate
Degranulation

Degranulation is a cellular process that releases antimicrobial cytotoxic molecules from secretion vesicle s called Granule found inside some cells....
 to release histamine
Histamine

Histamine is a biogenic amine involved in local immune system as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter....
, proteoglycan
Proteoglycan

File:PBB Protein ACAN image.jpgProteoglycans represent a special class of glycoproteins that are heavily glycosylation. They consist of a core protein with one or more covalent bond attached glycosaminoglycan chain....
s (e.g. heparin
Heparin

Heparin, a highly-sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is widely used as an injectable anticoagulant and has the highest negative charge density of any known biomolecule....
 and chondroitin
Chondroitin

Chondroitin is a chondrin derivative.Types include:* Chondroitin sulfate* Dermatan sulfateReferences...
), and proteolytic enzymes (e.g. elastase
Elastase

In molecular biology, elastase is an enzyme from the class of proteases , that break down proteins....
 and lysophospholipase
Lysophospholipase

In enzymology, a lysophospholipase is an enzyme that catalysis the chemical reactionThus, the two substrate of this enzyme are 2-lysophosphatidylcholine and water, whereas its two product are glycerophosphocholine and carboxylate....
). They also secrete lipid
Lipid

Lipids are broadly defined as any fat-soluble , naturally-occurring molecule, such as fats, oils, waxes, cholesterol, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others....
 mediators like leukotriene
Leukotriene

Leukotrienes are naturally produced eicosanoid lipid signaling, which may be responsible for the effects of an inflammatory response. Leukotrienes use both autocrine signalling and paracrine signalling to regulate the body's response....
s, and several cytokine
Cytokine

Cytokines are a category of signaling molecules that, like hormones and neurotransmitters, are used extensively in cell communication. They are proteins, peptides or glycoproteins....
s. Histamine and proteoglycans are pre-stored in the cell's granules while the other secreted substances are newly generated. Each of these substances contributes to inflammation. Recent evidence suggests that basophils are an important source of the cytokine, interleukin-4, perhaps more important than T cells. Interleukin-4 is considered one of the critical cytokines in the development of allergies and the production of IgE
IGE

IGE is one of the largest MMORPG services companies, with offices in Los Angeles, Miami, and China. IGE is one of the main players in virtual economy services, also known in the MMORPG industry as secondary market....
 antibody by the immune system. There are other substances that can activate basophils to secrete which suggests that these cells have other roles in inflammation.

Basopenia
Basopenia

Basopenia is a form of agranulocytosis associated with a deficiency of basophils.One cause is urticaria.It has been proposed as an indicator of ovulation....
 (a low basophil count) is difficult to demonstrate as the normal basophil count is so low; it has been reported in association with autoimmune urticaria
Urticaria

Urticaria are a kind of skin rash notable for dark red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives are frequently caused by allergic reactions, however there are many non-allergic causes....
 (a chronic itching condition). Basophilia
Basophilia

Basophilia is a condition where the basophil quantity is abnormally elevated ....
 is also uncommon but may be seen in some forms of leukaemia or lymphoma
Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node ....
.

Additional images