IMMUNOLOGY

OVERVIEW OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

LYMPHATIC TISSUES AND ORGANS

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which WBC is responsible for digesting foreign substances and damaged cells?
A
Lymphocytes
B
Macrophages
C
Either A or B
D
None of the above
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell in the bloodstream, are among the first immune cells to defend against infection. They are phagocytes, which ingest bacteria and other foreign cells. Neutrophils contain granules that release enzymes to help kill and digest these cells.

Detailed explanation-2: -Macrophages are formed through the differentiation of monocytes, one of the major groups of white blood cells of the immune system. When there is tissue damage or infection, the monocytes leave the bloodstream and enter the affected tissue or organ and undergo a series of changes to become macrophages.

Detailed explanation-3: -Generally, macrophages ingest and degrade dead cells, debris, tumor cells, and foreign materials. They promote homeostasis by responding to internal and external changes within the body, not only as phagocytes, but also through trophic, regulatory, and repair functions.

Detailed explanation-4: -Macrophages are tissue-resident or infiltrated immune cells critical for innate immunity, normal tissue development, homeostasis, and repair of damaged tissue. Macrophage function is a sum of their ontogeny, the local environment in which they reside, and the type of injuries or pathogen to which they are exposed.

Detailed explanation-5: -The specific function of M1 macrophages is to detect, engulf and destroy bacteria. They can do this through phagocytosis, which is a process by which a bridge is formed between cellular receptors on the macrophage and surface antigens on the bacteria.

There is 1 question to complete.