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Multiple Choice

List two types of phagocytes associated with immune function.

Phagocytosis is a key function of the innate immune system, involving cells that engulf and destroy invading microbes. The two main types of phagocytes you should recognize are macrophages and microphages. Macrophages are large, tissue-resident phagocytes derived from monocytes; they patrol tissues, ingest pathogens, and also present digested antigens to T cells to help drive the adaptive response. Microphages refer to the smaller phagocytes, mainly neutrophils (and to some extent eosinophils), which circulate in blood and rapidly arrive at infection sites to ingest and kill microbes using enzymes and reactive oxygen species. This combination covers the primary phagocytic players in immune defense. Erythrocytes and platelets are not phagocytes; T and B cells are adaptive lymphocytes that don’t perform phagocytosis.

Phagocytosis is a key function of the innate immune system, involving cells that engulf and destroy invading microbes. The two main types of phagocytes you should recognize are macrophages and microphages. Macrophages are large, tissue-resident phagocytes derived from monocytes; they patrol tissues, ingest pathogens, and also present digested antigens to T cells to help drive the adaptive response. Microphages refer to the smaller phagocytes, mainly neutrophils (and to some extent eosinophils), which circulate in blood and rapidly arrive at infection sites to ingest and kill microbes using enzymes and reactive oxygen species. This combination covers the primary phagocytic players in immune defense. Erythrocytes and platelets are not phagocytes; T and B cells are adaptive lymphocytes that don’t perform phagocytosis.