monocyte

Definition / meaning of monocyte

A type of immune cell that is made in the bone marrow and travels through the blood to tissues in the body where it becomes a macrophage. Macrophages surround and kill microorganisms, ingest foreign material, remove dead cells, and boost immune responses. A monocyte is a type of white blood cell and a type of phagocyte.

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Source(s):

The Web site of the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/)

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