Unit 1 - Fish Blood Constituents
Monocytes - Function

Back to Monocytes

Monocytes are the precursors of macrophages.  Monocytes function by responding to infection.  Thus monocytes like granulocytes play an important role in  non-specific immunity and the inflammatory response. However monocytes are much more phagocytic than granulocytes.

Notes
MACROPHAGE: A cell capable of ingesting bacteria, foreign particles, and  other cells. There are (i) microphages (neutrophil leucocytes) which are mobile and (ii) macrophages which are immobile or sessile (e.g. endothelial cells, mono- and histocytes).

INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE: The reaction of the tissues to injury or presence of any antigen characterised clinically by heat, swelling, redness and pain and pathologically by vaso-dilation, hyperaemia, accumulation of leucocytes, exudation of fluid and deposition of fibrin. This reaction is termed the inflammatory response.