Blood cell
Blood cell
A blood cell, also known as a hemocyte, is a cell produced by hematopoiesis and is normally found in blood.
Pronunciation
- IPA: /blʌd sɛl/
Etymology
The term "blood cell" comes from the Old English blōd and the Middle English celle. Blōd refers to the bodily fluid in humans and many animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away. Celle is derived from the Latin cella, meaning a small room, and refers to the basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all known organisms.
Types of blood cells
There are three types of blood cells: Red blood cells (erythrocytes), White blood cells (leukocytes), and Platelets (thrombocytes).
Red blood cells
Red blood cells are the most common type of blood cell and the vertebrate organism's principal means of delivering oxygen to the body tissues via the blood flow through the circulatory system.
White blood cells
White blood cells are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders.
Platelets
Platelets, or thrombocytes, are very small, irregularly shaped clear cell fragments, 2–3 µm in diameter, which derive from fragmentation of precursor megakaryocytes.
Related terms
- Hematopoiesis: The formation of blood cellular components.
- Hemoglobin: The iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells.
- Leukemia: A group of cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal white blood cells.
- Anemia: A decrease in the total amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Blood cell
- Wikipedia's article - Blood cell
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