lym·pho·cyte (l m f -s t )n. Any of the nearly colorless cells found in the blood, lymph, and lymphoid tissues, constituting approximately 25 percent of white blood cells and including B cells, which function in humoral immunity, and T cells, which function in cellular immunity. lym pho·cytic (-stk) adj. |
lymphocyte
Noun
a type of white blood cell [lymph + Greek kutos vessel]
| lymphocyte (lmf-st) Any of various white blood cells, including B cells and T cells, that function in the body's immune system by recognizing and deactivating specific foreign substances called antigens. B cells act by stimulating the production of antibodies. T cells contain receptors on their cell surfaces that are capable of recognizing and binding to specific antigens. Lymphocytes are found in the lymph nodes and spleen and circulate continuously in the blood and lymph. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  lymphocyte - an agranulocytic leukocyte that normally makes up a quarter of the white blood cell count but increases in the presence of infectionlymphatic system, systema lymphaticum - the interconnected system of spaces and vessels between body tissues and organs by which lymph circulates throughout the body leucocyte, leukocyte, WBC, white blood cell, white blood corpuscle, white cell, white corpuscle - blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria and fungi; an important part of the body's defense system B cell, B lymphocyte - a lymphocyte derived from bone marrow that provides humoral immunity; it recognizes free antigen molecules in solution and matures into plasma cells that secrete immunoglobulin (antibodies) that inactivate the antigens T cell, T lymphocyte - a small lymphocyte developed in the thymus; it orchestrates the immune system's response to infected or malignant cells lymphoblast - an immature lymphocyte plasma cell, plasmacyte - a cell that develops from a B lymphocyte in reaction to a specific antigen; found in bone marrow and sometimes in the blood |
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