Overview
Monocytes are large leukocytes of myeloid origin with a blue-grey ground glass cytoplasm and an irregularly shaped nucleus. Monocytes often contain vacuoles.
Monocytosis
Increased circulating monocytes.
Causes of Monocytosis
- Chronic infection / inflammation - tuberculosis, EBV, bacterial endocarditis, autoimmune diseases
- Malignancy - acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia, lymphoma
- Post splenectomy
Activated Monocytes
Monocytes may become activated in the context of infection, inflammation or recovery from bone marrow suppression.
Features of Activated Monocytes
- Increased nuclear : cytoplasmic ratio
- Cytoplasmic vacuoles
Causes of Activated Monocytes
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Malignancy
- Recovery from bone marrow suppression
- G-CSF
Next Page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------