granulocyte, any of a group of white blood cells (leukocytes) that are characterized by the large number and chemical makeup of the granules occurring within the cytoplasm. Granulocytes are the most numerous of the white cells and are approximately 12–15 μm in diameter, making them larger than red blood cells (erythrocytes). They also have a multilobed nucleus and are important mediators of the inflammatory response. There are three types of granulocytes: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. Each of these types is distinguished by the colour that the granules stain when treated with a compound dye. The differences in staining characteristics reflect differences in the chemical composition of the granules.
Granulocytes have a life span of only a few days and are continuously produced from stem cells (i.e., precursor cells) in the bone marrow. They enter the bloodstream and circulate for a few hours, after which they leave the circulation and die. Granulocytes are mobile and are attracted to foreign materials by chemical signals, some of which are produced by the invading microorganisms themselves, others by damaged tissues, and still others by the interaction between microbes and proteins in the blood plasma. Some microorganisms produce toxins that poison granulocytes and thus escape phagocytosis, and other microbes are indigestible and are not killed when ingested. As a result, granulocytes are of limited effectiveness by themselves and require reinforcement by the mechanisms of specific immunity (e.g., antibody-mediated immunity).