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White blood cell
White blood cells (also called leukocytes or immune cells) are cells which form a component of the blood. They help to defend the body against infectious disease and foreign materials as part of the immune system. There are normally between 4x109 and 11x109 white blood cells in a litre of healthy adult blood - about 7,000 to 25,000 white blood cells per drop. In conditions such as leukaemia this may rise to as many as 50,000 white blood cells in a single drop of blood. As well as in the blood, white cells are also found in large numbers in the lymphatic system, the spleen, and in other body tissues.
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Health & Medicine News
November 24, 2025
Nov. 24, 2025 Participants lost more weight on a low-fat vegan diet than on the Mediterranean diet, largely due to eliminating animal foods and reducing oils and nuts. Increased intake of plant foods, even ...
Nov. 24, 2025 Scientists are uncovering what makes some carcinomas so resistant: their ability to change identity. Two new studies reveal crucial proteins and structures that could become targets for future ...
Nov. 24, 2025 Hypertension begins harming the brain surprisingly early, even before measurable blood pressure increases. Key cells related to blood vessels, signaling, and myelin maintenance begin aging prematurely and malfunctioning. These disruptions resemble ...
Nov. 24, 2025 Scientists have uncovered how leukemia cells manage to escape one of the most commonly used treatments. Over time, these cancer cells subtly change the shape of their mitochondria to avoid dying when the drug tries to kill them. By identifying the ...
Nov. 24, 2025 A research team has found that specific immune cells can connect with muscle fibers in a lightning-fast, neuron-like way to promote healing. These cells deliver quick pulses of calcium, triggering repair within seconds. The mechanism works in both ...
Nov. 24, 2025 A massive long-term study shows that Mediterranean and plant-based diets can help prevent chronic constipation in aging adults. Surprisingly, the benefits weren’t explained by fiber alone. Western and inflammatory diets raised constipation risk, ...
Nov. 24, 2025 Ultra-processed foods are rapidly becoming a global dietary staple, and new research links them to worsening health outcomes around the world. Scientists say only bold, coordinated policy action can counter corporate influence and shift food systems ...
Nov. 24, 2025 Researchers have uncovered a surprising new role for the HSL protein: beyond breaking down fat, it also works inside the nucleus of fat cells to keep them functioning properly. When HSL is missing, fat tissue doesn’t expand as expected— instead, ...
Nov. 23, 2025 Researchers have uncovered a surprising way the brain switches pain on, revealing that neurons can release an enzyme outside the cell that activates pain signals without disrupting normal movement or sensation. This enzyme, called VLK, modifies ...
Nov. 23, 2025 Scientists have created a live-cell DNA sensor that reveals how damage appears and disappears inside living cells, capturing the entire repair sequence as it unfolds. Instead of freezing cells at different points, researchers can now watch damage ...
Nov. 23, 2025 Researchers discovered that raising the protein Sox9 can help the brain’s astrocytes clear out toxic plaque buildup linked to Alzheimer’s. In mouse models that already showed memory problems, activating these cells improved cognitive ...
Nov. 22, 2025 Scientists discovered that lowering a specific molecule helps microglia switch into a protective state that quiets brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s. A small group of these cells seems to have an outsized ability to keep the brain healthier. When ...
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Nov. 22, 2025 A new nasal-delivered nanotherapy shows promise against aggressive glioblastoma tumors. By activating the STING immune pathway using gold-core spherical nucleic acids, researchers were able to reach ...
Nov. 22, 2025 A first-of-its-kind trial is testing adult stem cell transplants for advanced dry macular degeneration. Early results show the treatment is safe and can significantly improve vision, even in severely ...
Nov. 22, 2025 People who smoke only a couple of cigarettes a day still face surprisingly high risks of heart problems and early death. A large review of long-term studies shows that even very light smokers can see ...
Nov. 21, 2025 Researchers uncovered how estrogen subtly reshapes learning by strengthening dopamine reward signals in the brain. Rats learned faster when estrogen levels were high and struggled when the ...
Nov. 21, 2025 A massive real-world study comparing tirzepatide and semaglutide reveals both drugs deliver strong, early cardiovascular protection—reducing heart attack, stroke, and death in adults with type 2 ...
Nov. 21, 2025 Researchers discovered that the common amino acid arginine can block harmful Aβ aggregation and reduce its toxic effects in Alzheimer’s disease models. In flies and mice, oral arginine lowered ...
Nov. 21, 2025 Researchers discovered that chemotherapy can accidentally trigger a stress alarm in immune cells, causing inflammation that damages nerves. Blocking this alarm protected mice from nerve pain and kept ...
Nov. 21, 2025 A new airflow device from UBC Okanagan engineers traps exhaled aerosols almost immediately, sharply reducing pathogen exposure in indoor spaces. Early simulations suggest it could outperform existing ...
Nov. 21, 2025 Tiny ingestible spheres filled with engineered bacteria can detect intestinal bleeding by glowing when they encounter heme. Early tests in mice suggest they could become a quick, noninvasive way to ...
Nov. 21, 2025 A cutting-edge approach to immunotherapy shows that forcing cancer cells to die through necroptosis can dramatically boost the body's anti-tumor defenses. By combining three existing drugs, ...