macrophage
nounUS /ˈmækɹɔʊː.feɪd͡ʒ/
Etymology From macro- + -phage, both from Ancient Greek.
1
Biology, Cytology, Immunology, Medicine, Natural sciences, Sciences A white blood cell that phagocytizes necrotic cell debris and foreign material, including viruses, bacteria, and tattoo ink. It presents foreign antigens on MHC II to lymphocytes. Part of the innate immune system.
- Derived terms
- antimacrophage, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, intramacrophage, macrophagal, macrophageal, macrophagelike, macrophagic, melanomacrophage, nonmacrophage
- Related terms
- macrophagous, macrophagy