Leukemia means cancer of blood-forming tissues, which leads to the production of a high number of abnormal blood cells, especially white blood cells (WBCs). To understand leukemia, we need to know more about the different types of blood-forming tissues and blood cells.
The blood-forming tissues
Our body contains a factory called bone marrow, which forms blood cells. The bone marrow is a soft tissue located inside some bones, such as the hip bone, skull bones, ribs, and vertebrae. It forms the three types of blood cells: red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. These cells arise from stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells) that divide to form two types of immature cells: myeloid stem cells (myeloblasts) and lymphoid stem cells (lymphoblasts). These cells grow to be the mature blood cells; myeloblasts give red blood cells, some types of white blood cells (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes), and platelets while lymphoblasts give lymphocytes.
Our body contains a factory called bone marrow, which forms blood cells. The bone marrow is a soft tissue located inside some bones, such as the hip bone, skull bones, ribs, and vertebrae. It forms the three types of blood cells: red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. These cells arise from stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells) that divide to form two types of immature cells: myeloid stem cells (myeloblasts) and lymphoid stem cells (lymphoblasts). These cells grow to be the mature blood cells; myeloblasts give red blood cells, some types of white blood cells (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes), and platelets while lymphoblasts give lymphocytes.
WBCs and Leukemia
Now let’s talk about the white blood cells to understand leukemia better:
White blood cells (WBCs) or leukocytes represent only 1% of blood cells, but they play a vital role in your health. They protect you from harmful organisms and foreign bodies. They recognize the foreign and harmful antigens, destroy them, and produce antibodies to prevent the recurrence of the same infection. To do this function efficiently, many types of white blood cells are present. Each of them has a specific role in the immune process and specific antigen to fight it.
