Related topics: immune system , stem cells , cells , cancer , proceedings of the national academy of sciences
White blood cell
hideWhite blood cells (WBCs), or leukocytes (also spelled "leucocytes"), are cells of the immune system defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a hematopoietic stem cell. Leukocytes are found throughout the body, including the blood and lymphatic system.
The number of leukocytes in the blood is often an indicator of disease. There are normally between 4×109 and 1.1×1010 white blood cells in a litre of blood, making up approximately 1% of blood in a healthy adult. An increase in the number of leukocytes over the upper limits is called leukocytosis, and in leukopenia, this number is much lower than the lower limit. The physical properties of leukocytes, such as volume, conductivity, and granularity, may change due to activation, the presence of immature cells, or the presence of malignant leukocytes in leukemia.
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News tagged with white blood cells
Gene Testing In the Doctors Office
Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine
Dec 02, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A portable instrument manufactured by Nanosphere Inc. and recently approved by the FDA, can detect genetic variations in blood that alter the effectiveness of some drugs.
'Mini' transplant may reverse severe sickle cell disease
Dec 09, 2009 |
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Results of a preliminary study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins show that "mini" stem cell transplantation may safely reverse severe sickle cell disease in adults.
New cancer target for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Nov 22, 2009 |
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Physician-scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered a molecular mechanism that may prove to be a powerful target for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects lymphocytes, ...
Scientists discover gene module underlying atherosclerosis development
Dec 04, 2009 |
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By measuring the total gene activity in organs relevant for coronary artery disease (CAD), scientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have identified a module of genes that is important for the recruitment ...
Multiple myeloma patients experience high response rate with new 3-drug combination
Dec 06, 2009 |
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A new three-drug combination has shown in a phase 1/2 clinical trial that it is a "highly effective regimen" in the treatment of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells in bone marrow, ...
Drug shows promise for T315I-mutated chronic myeloid leukemia
Dec 07, 2009 |
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Results from a phase II clinical trial indicate a novel drug may provide a treatment option for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who do not respond to current therapies, researchers from The University of Texas M. ...
Combination therapy with midostaurin improves survival of AML patients with FLT3 mutations, phase 1
Dec 08, 2009 |
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A targeted drug that is active against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is particularly effective when teamed with chemotherapy in patients whose cancer cells harbor a key genetic mutation, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ...
Screening method able to identify newborns with blood disorder that affects immune system
Dec 08, 2009 |
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The testing of DNA from a statewide blood screening program for newborns in Wisconsin was able to identify infants with T-cell lymphopenia, a blood disorder that affects the child's immune system, a disease in which early ...
First immunological clue to why some H1N1 patients get very ill or die
Dec 15, 2009 |
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An international team of Canadian and Spanish scientists have found the first potential immunological clue of why some people develop severe pneumonia when infected by the pandemic H1N1 virus.
Researchers work on vaccine to improve immune system in newborns
Dec 15, 2009 |
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As soon as babies are born, they are susceptible to diseases and infections, such as jaundice and e-coli. For up to a month, their immune systems aren't adequately developed to fight diseases. Although these infections are ...
