Definition
noun, plural: band cells
A cell derived from metamyelocyte and develops into a mature granulocyte during granulopoiesis
Supplement
A band cell is a young blood cell undergoing granulopoiesis (i.e. a hematopoiesis of granulocytes). Hematopoiesis is a process of forming new cellular elements, particularly red blood cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, lymphocytes, megakaryocytes, platelets, and granulocytes. The granulocytes include the neutrophils, the eosinophils, and the basophils. In the granulocytic series, a band cell transitions from a metamyelocyte to a mature granulocyte. In particular, the developmental stages are as follows: hemocytoblast → common myeloid progenitor (or CFU-GEMM) → CFU-GM → CFU-G → myeloblast → promyelocyte → myelocyte → metamyelocyte → band cell → granulocyte. The band cell is characterized by its nucleus that is curved but not lobar. Its size ranges from 10 to 12 μ. When stained with conventional dyes, the cell appears pink with secondary granules.
Since there are three types of myelocytes: neutrophilic, basophilic, and eosinophilic, the band cells also have three corresponding types. For instance, the neutrophilic myelocyte develops into neutrophilic metamyelocyte, which in turn develops into neutrophilic band cell. The neutrophilc band (or band neutrophil) ultimately differentiates into neutrophil. In pathologic or inflammatory conditions, band neutrophils are released from the bone marrow in response to such an acute demand. An excess of band cells in the bloodstream is referred to as bandemia.
Synonym(s):
- band neutrophil
- rod nuclear cell
- Schilling band cell
- stab cell
- stab neutrophil
- staff cell
See also:
