How Do You Spell PROMYELOCYTE?

1. A promyelocyte is a type of immature white blood cell that arises from multipotent stem cells in the bone marrow. It is an intermediate stage in the maturation process of myeloid cells, occurring after the myeloblast stage but before the myelocyte stage. Promyelocytes are primarily found in the bone marrow and are rarely seen in the peripheral blood.

   Morphologically, promyelocytes are characterized by a large, round or oval nucleus that occupies a significant portion of the cell. The nucleus contains fine chromatin material and one or more prominent nucleoli. The cytoplasm of a promyelocyte is abundant and typically granular, containing numerous primary azurophilic granules. These granules contain enzymes and other proteins involved in the immune response and defense against infections.

   The main function of promyelocytes is to further differentiate into mature myelocytes, which are responsible for the production of granulocytes such as neutrophils and basophils. The maturation of promyelocytes into myelocytes involves nuclear condensation and reduction in cell size, along with the development of specific granules. This process is tightly regulated and is crucial for maintaining a properly functioning immune system.

   Abnormalities in promyelocyte development can occur in certain diseases, such as acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). In APL, promyelocytes fail to mature properly and accumulate in the bone marrow, leading to a reduced production of functional white blood cells and an increased risk of infections.

2. Granular leucoblast, a large uninuclear cell seen in the blood in cases of mixed-cell leucemia; it resembles a cell of lymphatic origin, but is really of myeloid descent.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for PROMYELOCYTE

The word "Promyelocyte" is derived from two different roots: "pro-" and "myelo-".

The prefix "pro-" comes from the Greek word "pro-", meaning "before" or "in front of". In medical contexts, "pro-" is typically used to indicate an immature or developing stage of a cell or tissue.

The second part, "myelo-", is derived from the term "myeloid", which refers to a type of bone marrow cell involved in the production of red and white blood cells. "Myelo-" comes from the Greek word "myelos", meaning "marrow".

The suffix "-cyte" is a common term used to refer to a cell. It is derived from the Greek word "kytos" meaning "container" or "cell".