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<p>Monocytes/macrophages act as phagocytes, removing particular antigens. They also act as antigen presenting cells to take up, process and present antigen to [[T cells]].</p>
 
<p>Monocytes/macrophages act as phagocytes, removing particular antigens. They also act as antigen presenting cells to take up, process and present antigen to [[T cells]].</p>
 
==Monocytosis==
 
==Monocytosis==
An increase in the number of monocytes (haematogenous macrophages) in the blood is known as a [[Monocytosis|monocytosis]]. It occurs in conjunction with other changes inidicative of a stress leucogram or it may occur independently. Monocytes in the blood represent a brief transitional stage as they quickly move into tissues and differentiate further to tissue macrophages; they rarely perform any notable functions whilst in the bloodstream but they have been found to phagocytose red blood cells in cases of immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia. The major causes of monocytosis are:  
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An increase in the number of monocytes (haematogenous macrophages) in the blood is known as a [[Monocytosis|monocytosis]]. It occurs in conjunction with other changes inidicative of a [[Stress leucogram|stress leucogram]] or it may occur independently. Monocytes in the blood represent a brief transitional stage as they quickly move into tissues and differentiate further to tissue macrophages; they rarely perform any notable functions whilst in the bloodstream but they have been found to phagocytose red blood cells in cases of immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia. The major causes of monocytosis are:  
 
*Stress leucogram mediated by the production or administration of glucocorticoids (plus a neutrophilia, eosinopenia and lymphopenia).  
 
*Stress leucogram mediated by the production or administration of glucocorticoids (plus a neutrophilia, eosinopenia and lymphopenia).  
 
*Chronic inflammatory processes, including chronic bacterial infections and chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver (chronic hepatitis and cholangitis) and pancreas (chronic pancreatitis).  
 
*Chronic inflammatory processes, including chronic bacterial infections and chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver (chronic hepatitis and cholangitis) and pancreas (chronic pancreatitis).  
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