Polymorphonuclear neutrophils and Immunity

 

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils and Immunity

 

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils,

–also called polys for short,

–are phagocytes that have no mitochondria and get their energy from stored glycogen.

–They are nondividing, short-lived (half-life of 6–8 hours, 1–4 day lifespan), and have a segmented nucleus.

–[The picture below shows the neutrophil phagocytizing bacteria, in yellow.]

–They constitute 50–75% of all leukocytes.

–The neutrophils provide the major defense against pyogenic (pus-forming) bacteria and are the first on the scene to fight infection.

–They are followed by the wandering macrophages about three to four hours later