3 thoughts on “Q: Hi! I find it difficult to distinguish between neutrophils and lymphocytes in microscopic preparations. How can I tell the difference?”
I find this very hard too.
Are there any other characteristics to distinguish lymphocytes from neutrophils?
Is the cell concentration of neutrophils larger than the concentration of lymphocytes during chronic inflammation?
The main characteristic is the nucleus.
The tissue in which chronic inflammation occurs is dominated by all inflammatory cells OTHER than neutrophils. Neutrophils dominate the tissue when acute inflammation occurs.
Michelle:
Follow this link to a web-page for an example on a micrograph which shows a neutrophil (left) and a lymphocyte (right):
http://www.vanuatumed.net/MODULES/03_Hemic/_E00_Hemic_Lymphatic
I find this very hard too.
Are there any other characteristics to distinguish lymphocytes from neutrophils?
Is the cell concentration of neutrophils larger than the concentration of lymphocytes during chronic inflammation?
The main characteristic is the nucleus.
The tissue in which chronic inflammation occurs is dominated by all inflammatory cells OTHER than neutrophils. Neutrophils dominate the tissue when acute inflammation occurs.