Human Normal Peripheral Blood Basophils

 A basophil is a type of white blood cell and the least common type of granulocyte, normally making up approximately 0.5 to 3 percent of the peripheral blood leukocytes.  However, they are the largest type of granulocyte that has granules (small particles) with enzymes that are released during allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, asthma, atopic dermatitis and hay fever.   Basophil's name comes from the fact that they are basophilic, i.e., they are susceptible to be stained by basic dyes, such as haematoxylin (most common dye), as shown in the following picture. Basophils perform phagocytosis (cell eating), produce histamine and serotonin that induce inflammation, and heparin that prevents blood clotting. It used to be thought that basophils that have migrated from blood into their resident tissues (connective tissue) are known as mast cells, but this is no longer thought to be the case. Our Human Normal Peripheral Blood Basophils are isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear ce