Professional PhagocytesMain locationVariety of phenotypesBloodneutrophils, monocytesBone marrowmacrophages, monocytes, sinusoidal cells, lining cellsBone tissueosteoclastsGut and intestinal Peyer's patchesmacrophages8 more rows
Phagocytes include neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs), which have the capacity to engulf and digest relatively large particles on the order of 1–10 µm and even larger. In adults, these cells are generated from hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow.
Professional phagocytes play a central role in innate immunity by eliminating pathogenic bacteria, fungi and malignant cells, and contribute to adaptive immunity by presenting antigens to lymphocytes.
Phagocytes are a group of white blood cells that includes neutrophils. These cells consume bacteria and other pathogens to protect the body from infection. The process begins when chemicals from a pathogen, or damaged tissue, attract a phagocyte. The phagocyte binds to the microbe, envelopes it, and then eats it.
Among the White blood cells (WBCs) four cells have the phagocytic ability. The neutrophils, monocytes, eosionophils and basophils. The basophils and the eosinophils have very less phagocytic ability when compared to the phagocytic ability of neutrophils and monocytes.
Typically, neutrophils are the first responders to be recruited and have a higher microbicidal activity; whereas monocytes/macrophages are recruited later on.
Macrophages, neutrophils, monocytes, dendritic cells, and osteoclasts are among these dedicated cells. These professional phagocytes express several phagocytic receptors that activate signaling pathways resulting in phagocytosis.
Phagocytosis is an important process for nutrition in unicellular organisms, while in multicellular organisms it is found in specialized cells called phagocytes. Phagocytosis consists in recognition and ingestion of particles larger than 0.5 μm into a plasma membrane derived vesicle, known as phagosome.
(FA-goh-site) A type of immune cell that can surround and kill microorganisms, ingest foreign material, and remove dead cells. It can also boost immune responses. Monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils are phagocytes. A phagocyte is a type of white blood cell.
Ilya Metchnikoff discovered phagocytosis (a form of endocytosis that uses vesicles to internalize solid particles). Phagocytes are specialized cells that ingest and destroy bacteria.
Monocytes and neutrophils are examples of phagocytic leukocytes and it can be appreciated that they play a key role during inflammation due to their adhesion, trans-endothelial migration and subsequent activation into the surrounding tissues [13, 14].
In the blood, two types of white blood cells, neutrophilic leukocytes (microphages) and monocytes (macrophages), are phagocytic.