<P> Macrophages ( Greek : big eaters , from Greek μακρός ( makrós ) = large , φαγείν ( phageín ) = to eat ) are a type of white blood cell , of the immune system , that engulfs and digests cellular debris , foreign substances , microbes , cancer cells , and anything else that does not have the type of proteins specific to healthy body cells on its surface in a process called phagocytosis . These large phagocytes are found in essentially all tissues , where they patrol for potential pathogens by amoeboid movement . They take various forms ( with various names ) throughout the body ( e.g. , histiocytes , Kupffer cells , alveolar macrophages , microglia , and others ) , but all are part of the mononuclear phagocyte system . Besides phagocytosis , they play a critical role in nonspecific defense ( innate immunity ) and also help initiate specific defense mechanisms ( adaptive immunity ) by recruiting other immune cells such as lymphocytes . For example , they are important as antigen presenters to T cells . In humans , dysfunctional macrophages cause severe diseases such as chronic granulomatous disease that result in frequent infections . </P>
<P> Macrophages ( Greek : big eaters , from Greek μακρός ( makrós ) = large , φαγείν ( phageín ) = to eat ) are a type of white blood cell , of the immune system , that engulfs and digests cellular debris , foreign substances , microbes , cancer cells , and anything else that does not have the type of proteins specific to healthy body cells on its surface in a process called phagocytosis . These large phagocytes are found in essentially all tissues , where they patrol for potential pathogens by amoeboid movement . They take various forms ( with various names ) throughout the body ( e.g. , histiocytes , Kupffer cells , alveolar macrophages , microglia , and others ) , but all are part of the mononuclear phagocyte system . Besides phagocytosis , they play a critical role in nonspecific defense ( innate immunity ) and also help initiate specific defense mechanisms ( adaptive immunity ) by recruiting other immune cells such as lymphocytes . For example , they are important as antigen presenters to T cells . In humans , dysfunctional macrophages cause severe diseases such as chronic granulomatous disease that result in frequent infections . </P>
which type of blood cell becomes a macrophage
which type of blood cell becomes a macrophage
white blood cell
white blood cell