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Blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria and fungi; an important part of the body's defense system.Blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria and fungi; an important part of the body's defense system.white blood cell

(Science: haematology) white corpuscles in the blood. They are spherical, colourless and nucleated masses involved with host defenses.

normal white blood cell counts are variable with age and sex. yes they certainly are! Normal adult range is 4, 500 to 11,000 cells per cubic millimetre of blood. Slightly higher counts are seen in children. Elevated counts can be seen in cases of inflammation and infection.

See: leucocytes, basophils, coelomocytes, eosinophils, haemocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes.

Acronym: wbc see [[leucocyte.