Library / English Dictionary

PHAGOCYTE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A cell that engulfs and digests debris and invading microorganisms

Synonyms:

phagocyte; scavenger cell

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("phagocyte" is a kind of...):

somatic cell; vegetative cell (any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells; a cell that does not participate in the production of gametes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "phagocyte"):

macrophage (a large phagocyte; some are fixed and other circulate in the blood stream)

fixed phagocyte (a phagocyte that does not circulate in the blood but is fixed in the liver or spleen or bone marrow etc.)

free phagocyte (a phagocyte that circulates in the blood)

Derivation:

phagocytic (capable of functioning as a phagocyte)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Present simple (first person singular and plural, second person singular and plural, third person plural) of the verb phagocyte

Credits

 Context examples: 

This allele, which encodes cytochrome B-245 heavy chain protein, is involved in the microbicidal oxidase system of phagocytes.

(CYBB wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein plays a role in the microbicidal activity of phagocytes.

(Cytochrome B-245 Heavy Chain, NCI Thesaurus)

The process by which phagocytes engulf and digest microorganisms and cellular debris; an important defense against infection.

(Phagocytosis, NCI Thesaurus)

Mononuclear phagocytes derived from bone marrow precursors but resident in the peritoneum.

(Peritoneal Macrophage, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

This agent may cause the opsonization and elimination of CD3-positive T cells from the circulation by mononuclear phagocytes in the liver and spleen.

(muromonab-CD3, NCI Thesaurus)

The phagocytes can engulf pathogens but are unable to produce the microbicidal precursors needed to destroy them.

(Chronic Granulomatous Disease, NCI Thesaurus)

A neutrophil is a type of white blood cell, a type of granulocyte, and a type of phagocyte.

(Neutrophil, NCI Dictionary)

A monocyte is a type of white blood cell and a type of phagocyte.

(Monocyte, NCI Dictionary)

Monocytes are a class of phagocytes involved in non-specific immune defense that develop into macrophages.

(Monocyte Phagocytosis and Adhesion Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Primarily in phagocytes, nitric oxide production is inhibited by transforming growth factor-beta, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10.

(Negative Regulation of Nitric Oxide Release, NCI Thesaurus)