Granulocytes
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
This article defines granulocytes as the granular leukocytes of the blood—neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils—and distinguishes them from agranulocytes like lymphocytes and monocytes, noting that monocytes contain a small amount of granules.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
GRANULOCYTES (from Lat. granum-grain and cytos-cell), granular cells. Although a complex organism contains many different types of cells with grains, e.g. pigment cells, glandular epithelial cells during the period of secretion formation, granular cells (Kornchenzellen) during the resorption of tissue decay, etc., the term granulocytes is applied exclusively to granular leukocytes of the blood: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. Lymphocytes and monocytes, although they contain azurophilic granulation, are opposed to the former as non-granular agranulocytes. However, in view of the fact that monocytes also contain a small amount of grains giving a positive reaction for peroxidase, many refer them to the category of granulocytes.
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“Granulocytes.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/granulocytes/