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FEATURED BOOKS ON BLOOD TESTS, LAB VALUES, AND MEDICAL TESTS FROM BARNES & NOBLE.COM:
WHAT IS IT?
A monocyte is a relatively large type of white blood cell with one nucleus. White blood cells help protect the body against diseases and fight infections. A nucleus is the center of a cell. The nucleus of a monocyte is usually indented, slightly folded, and oval or kidney shaped.
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOCYTES?
Monocytes contain delicate chromatin material with a lacy or stringy pattern that appears more condensed where the strands are in contact with each other. Chromatin is the material inside a nucleus from which the chromosomes are formed. Chromosomes are structures in a person's cells that contain naturally occurring substances known as proteins and a substance known as DNA (an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is a chain of many connected genes (see last paragraph). Genes are units of material contained in a person's cells that contain coded instructions as for how certain bodily characteristics (such as eye color) will develop.
WHAT DOES A MONOCYTE LOOK LIKE?
A monocyte looks like this under a microscope:
The size of monocyetes have been defined as between 13 and 25 micrometers in diameter, but some references state they are between 16 and 22 micrometers in diameter. A micrometer is a very small unit of length that measures one millionth of a meter. A meter is approximately 39 inches (slightly more than 3 feet).
WHAT PERCENT OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS ARE MONOCYTES?
Approximately 3-7% of white blood cells are monocytes.
WHERE ARE MONOCYTES NORMALLY FOUND?
Monocytes are normally found in loose connective tissue, the spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. The spleen is an organ next to the stomach that helps fight infection and removes and destroys worn-out red blood cells. Red blood cells are cells that help carry oxygen in the blood. Lymph nodes are small egg shaped structures in the body that help fight against infection. Bone marrow is a tissue that fills the openings of bones.
HOW DO MONOCYTES RESPOND TO LABORATORY STAINING?
When stained with dyes, monocytes display a significant amount of pale blue or blue-gray cytoplasm. Cytoplasm is all the substance of a cell except the nucleus and cell wall. The cytoplasm of monocytes is filled with many fine, dust-like, reddish-blue granules. Vacuoles are often present, which are clear spaces in the substance of a cell.
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM "MONOCYTE"?
Monocyte comes from the Greek word "monos" meaning "single," and the Greek word "kytos" meaning "cell." Put the two words together and you have "single cell."
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