Monocytes

Definition

Monocytes are a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the immune system by engulfing and destroying pathogens and debris. They are the largest type of leukocyte and can differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells, which further participate in the body's defense mechanisms.

Related terms

Leukocytes:

White blood cells that are part of the immune system, protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders.

Macrophages:

A type of white blood cell derived from monocytes that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, cancer cells, and anything else that does not have proteins specific to healthy body cells on its surface.

Dendritic Cells:

Immune cells that process antigen material and present it on their surface to T-cells, thus acting as messengers between the innate and adaptive immune systems