About Monocytes
Monocytes are a type of white blood cell and a part of the body's innate immune system. They have important roles in immune surveillance, phagocytosis, and the initiation of immune responses. Monocytes circulate in the bloodstream and, when they migrate into tissue, they can differentiate into macrophages or dendritic cells which are essential in fighting infections and in the inflammatory response.
Reference Values
Optimal Range
0.2 - 0.8 10^9/L
Women's Optimal Range
0.2 - 0.8 10^9/L
Elite Value
Not specified
Health Implications
High
Elevated levels may indicate chronic inflammation, infections such as tuberculosis, or autoimmune conditions like lupus.
Low
Low levels may be associated with bone marrow suppression, certain types of anemia, or the impact of medications like steroids.
Symptoms
High
May include fatigue, headaches, frequent infections, and fever.
Low
Can include dizziness, weakness, susceptibility to infections, and delayed wound healing.
Lifestyle Factors
Specimen Type
Testing Methods
Also Known As
Scientific Sources
- 1. Ziegler-Heitbrock, L., & Hofer, T. P. (2013). Toward a refined definition of monocyte subsets. Frontiers in Immunology, 4, 23.
- 2. Guilliams, M., & Scott, C. L. (2017). Does niche competition determine the origin of tissue-resident macrophages? Nature Reviews Immunology, 17(7), 451-460.
- 3. Jakubzick, C. V., Randolph, G. J., & Henson, P. M. (2017). Monocyte differentiation and antigen-presenting functions. Nature Reviews Immunology, 17(6), 349-362.
- 4. Patel, A. A., Zhang, Y., Fullerton, J. N., Boelen, L., Rongvaux, A., Maini, A. A., ... & Gilroy, D. W. (2017). The fate and lifespan of human monocyte subsets in steady state and systemic inflammation. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 214(7), 1913-1923.
- 5. Mildner, A., & Jung, S. (2014). Development and function of dendritic cell subsets. Immunity, 40(5), 642-656.