Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
07:22
Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
THE HEMIC BASOPHIL.
1Pathological Laboratories of the Albany Medical College and the Albany Hospital, Albany.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Basophils, a type of white blood cell, lack the characteristic reaction of other granulocytes. These hemic basophils appear cytologically unique and functionally inactive, suggesting they are degenerating cells.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Cell Biology
- Cytochemistry
Background:
- Basophilic granules in blood and marrow cells exhibit distinct microchemical and physical properties.
- These properties differentiate basophils from neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unique characteristics of basophilic granules and hemic basophils.
- To determine the physiological and cytological significance of basophils.
- To elucidate the origin and potential degeneration of basophils.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of granule reactions using benzidine solutions.
- Microchemical and physical characterization of blood and marrow cell granules.
- Cytological and physiological evaluation of hemic basophils in mammalian blood.
Main Results:
- Basophilic granules do not display the brown color reaction seen in neutrophilic and eosinophilic granules with benzidine solutions.
- Hemic basophils are cytologically distinct and appear physiologically inactive compared to other granulocytes.
- Observed peculiarities suggest basophils are degenerating cells, likely originating from eosinophilic or neutrophilic precursors.
Conclusions:
- Basophils possess unique cytochemical and physical properties distinguishing them from other granulocytes.
- The hemic basophil is cytologically peculiar and functionally quiescent.
- Evidence strongly supports the hypothesis that basophils represent degenerating cells, possibly derived from eosinophils or neutrophils.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Classification of Leukocytes
Leukocytes are classified into two groups based on the presence or absence of cytoplasmic granules. Granular leukocytes, which contain granules, belong to the myeloid lineage and are divided into three subtypes: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. These cells are roughly spherical and characterized by the granules in their cytoplasm.
Neutrophils are the most abundant type of granular leukocytes, comprising 50-70% of all leukocytes. They feature small, evenly distributed granules and a...
Neutrophils are the most abundant type of granular leukocytes, comprising 50-70% of all leukocytes. They feature small, evenly distributed granules and a...
01:21Hematopoiesis
The process of blood cell formation is called hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis starts early during development, on the seventh day of embryogenesis. This phase of hematopoiesis is called the primitive wave, wherein the extraembryonic yolk sac allows the production of erythroid cells and endothelial cells from a common precursor called hemangioblast. The erythroid cells provide oxygen to support the growth of the rapidly dividing embryo. Hemangioblasts later develop into hematopoietic stem cells or...
01:34Production of Formed Elements
Hemangioblasts are multipotent stem cells originating from the mesoderm. They give rise to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which undergo hematopoiesis to produce all the formed elements of blood. This process is regulated by a complex network of hematopoietic growth factors, including transcription factors, growth factors, and cytokines. These factors stimulate the HSCs to divide and differentiate, though some HSCs remain undifferentiated to maintain a self-renewing pool.
Most HSCs commit to...
Most HSCs commit to...
01:21Lineage Commitment
Commitment is the process whereby stem cells:
01:15Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells
Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
02:30Histone Variants at the Centromere
Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3 variants are also...