Blood plays an important role in the proper nutrition of the body, maintaining acid-base levels, transmitting hormones, and keeping the salt and water ratio in balance. Blood fluid ensures that the body temperature remains balanced and ideal for vital functions, and protects the body system against external influences with the cellular and fluid immune system it carries. Leukocytes are white blood cells, known as white blood cells, which are produced in the lymph gland, spleen and endocrine gland and constitute an important structure of the immune system. In order to have a good understanding of the function of leukocytes in the body, it is first necessary to understand what a leukocyte is.
Leukocytes are known as white blood cells (WBC) or white blood cells. They are an important part of the immune system. They are a group of cells that protect the body against germs. They reproduce rapidly when the body is confronted with foreign structures. It is defined as the refuge of the immune system at certain times. The main task of leukocytes is to recognize and eliminate immunogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and toxins that have entered the body in various ways. While carrying out this task, leukocytes, which are located in the vascular structure, leave the vessel to come to the part where bacteria or viruses are located and reach the relevant tissue.
What is Leukocyte Value? How Many Should It Be?
The WBC level is measured by blood test in all age groups, but the expected normal value ranges are not the same. In newborn babies, the value of white blood cells is expected to be in the range of 9 to 30 thousand per microliter, while in children and adults, this range should be in the range of 4500 to 11 thousand. In detail, we can list normal leukocyte levels as follows;
0-1 month: 9.4 - 34.0 microliter
2-12 months: 5.0 - 19.5 microliters
For children aged 1-3 years: 6.0-17.5 microliters
For children aged 4-5 years: 5.5 -15.5 microliters
6-15 years: 4.5 - 13.0 microliters
15 years and Over: 4.5- 11.0 microliters
The leukocyte value seen in a person's urine must be between 0 and 5 WBC/HPF. Regular checks should be done for a healthy life.
What are the Types of Leukocytes?
Leukocytes, abbreviated LEU, include five different types of WBCs and each cell type has various functions;
Neutrophils: Abbreviated NEU, these are the cells that are the first to come to foreign structures in the body that cause infections. Neutrophils carry out digestion, releasing chemical ferments to fight foreign structures.
Lymphocytes: Found in the lymph and bone marrow, abbreviated LYM, produced by the bone marrow. Some of them stay in the part where they are produced and turn into B cells, most of them go to the lymph gland in the middle part of the chest, defined as thymus, and turn into T cells. They secrete chemicals called lymphokines against foreign structures in the body, stimulate other cells in the immune system and enable these cells to attack unrecognized structures.
Monocytes and Macrophages: They make up 8% of red blood cells. They are incorporated into the blood from the production that takes place in the bone marrow. These cell groups, which are defined as monocytes while the blood is circulating, leave the circulatory system after a while and reach the tissues. The monocyte structures that have reached here are called macrophages. They destroy microorganisms that cause infection and purify them from dead cells.
Eosinophils Abbreviated as EOS. They break down parasites that cause allergic reactions in the body and produce enzymes for their destruction.
Basophils: Basophils, which have the lowest rate among the leukocyte types in the body, fight infections and parasites. They release chemical histamine during allergic reactions and cause the body to produce antibodies.
What is elevated leukocytes in urine?
A high leukocyte value in urine is indicated by symptoms such as cloudy or foul-smelling urine, painful or constant urge to urinate, fever, chills, bloody urine. The presence of leukocytes in the urine causes many disorders and its treatment is realized by intervening in the existing infection. In order to strengthen the immune system, consuming foods strong in vitamin B and vitamin C helps to reduce the level of leukocytes in urine. The first urine in the morning and the leukocyte ranges that are measured, which are usual to be in urine, are 0-5 WBC/HPF'.
What is Low Leukocytes?
Various viral and bacterial infections, infections caused by parasites such as brucella and malaria transmitted through milk and dairy foods, infections associated with various fungi, anemia, liver disorders, autoimmune disorders, some types of cancer and low leukocytes may occur due to the drugs being used. Such conditions prevent the bone marrow from producing leukocytes, leading to low leukocyte levels in the blood. However, it is important that the leukocyte level is at normal values for the immune system to maintain its healthy function.