WEB QUEST

---

White Blood Cells

1. What are the names of the 5 general types of white blood cell and a short description of the main role each has in your immune system . Make a diagram of each white blood cell. You will find a useful blood map at the University of Leicester Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

   Name of Cell and Description of Cell's Function or Role	Diagram
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.

2. Each white blood cell type makes up a percentage of the total WBC count. List each cell type and what its percent of the total normally is. A good resource for this information can be found at Swick's Blood Cell Histology site.

    

   Name of Blood Cell	Percent of Total
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.

    

3. Describe the erythrocyte in the space below. Swick's Blood Cell Histology provides this description at the bottom of the page.

    

    

4. A macrophage (a type of monocyte) can be seen engulfing bacteria (blue rods) in a micrograph on file at the University of Virginia. What does the macrophage do with the proteins it digests from the bacteria?

    

5. When the ratio of white blood cells to red blood cells is not normal, disease is indicated. List two of the most common causes of disproportionate number of white blood cells found at Battling Blood Cells or at Hematology - Diseases of White Blood Cells.

    

6. White Blood cells called macrophages actively clean up after infection or injury. What is this process called? _____________

    

7. Take a trip to the blood map site again to find out what macrophages can "eat". List the goodies they like below.

    

8. At this same site you will discover the five steps needed to complete a macrophage's "meal". List and briefly describe these steps in the table below.

   Phagocytic Step	What Happens
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.
   .	.
   + oxidative burst	.

9. The Cells Alive web site is a must to visualize just how white blood cells do their job. Using the information presented at this site summarize the big steps involved.

White blood cells can cause considerable damage if donated blood does not match the recipient blood type. Learn more about blood types at the Biology Project.

Additional information about blood cells can be found at the Fun Science Gallery.

Extra Credit: Learn more about how Tobacco can reduce the number of red and white blood cells and how this can affect your chances of surviving illness at Science Tobacco and You. Do the Virtual Lab dealing with hematology and write down as many facts as you can about the effects smoking has on your health