A lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell that is found in the vertebrate immune system. Lymphocytes can be divided into two different groups: The large granular lymphocyte and the small lymphocyte. The large lymphocytes comprise of what is known as the body’s natural killer cells or NK cells. The small lymphocytes on the other hand, consist of T cells and B cells. These three main types of lymphocytes (NK, T and B) regulate the body’s natural immune and defence system, protecting it from any disease or illness.
For instance the NK cell is to protect the body from viral infection and to fight off any tumour cells. The T cells are split into three different categories: The helper T cell, gamma/ delta T cell and the cytotoxic T cell. The helper T cell’s function is to release cytokines and growth factors that help regulate the other immune cells. The cytotoxic T cell, like the NK cells, also works to fight off viral infection, tumour cells with the addition of allografts. Lastly, the gamma/delta T cells role is immunoregulation and cytotoxicity. The B cell, however, secrets all of the body’s natural antibodies to fight off all of these related illnesses.
A lymphocyte count is usually part of a peripheral complete blood cell count and is expressed as percentage of lymphocytes to total white blood cells counted. A general increase in the number of lymphocytes is known as lymphocytosis whereas a decrease is lymphocytopenia. So, if your body has a low percentage of lymphocytes it could mean that the body is experiencing an increased level of infection after surgery or some sort of trauma. Other viruses that are associated with a low lymphocyte rate is HIV which works to destroy all of the bodies T cells, as the T cell is the bodies main immune defense system, destroying this would leave the body vulnerable to other viruses. In contrast a high lymphocyte percentage usually signifies some sort of virus and generally is less damaging than a low rate of lymphocytes.
For instance the NK cell is to protect the body from viral infection and to fight off any tumour cells. The T cells are split into three different categories: The helper T cell, gamma/ delta T cell and the cytotoxic T cell. The helper T cell’s function is to release cytokines and growth factors that help regulate the other immune cells. The cytotoxic T cell, like the NK cells, also works to fight off viral infection, tumour cells with the addition of allografts. Lastly, the gamma/delta T cells role is immunoregulation and cytotoxicity. The B cell, however, secrets all of the body’s natural antibodies to fight off all of these related illnesses.
A lymphocyte count is usually part of a peripheral complete blood cell count and is expressed as percentage of lymphocytes to total white blood cells counted. A general increase in the number of lymphocytes is known as lymphocytosis whereas a decrease is lymphocytopenia. So, if your body has a low percentage of lymphocytes it could mean that the body is experiencing an increased level of infection after surgery or some sort of trauma. Other viruses that are associated with a low lymphocyte rate is HIV which works to destroy all of the bodies T cells, as the T cell is the bodies main immune defense system, destroying this would leave the body vulnerable to other viruses. In contrast a high lymphocyte percentage usually signifies some sort of virus and generally is less damaging than a low rate of lymphocytes.
