National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health | www.cancer.gov
In English | En español
NCI Home
Cancer Topics
Clinical Trials
Cancer Statistics
Research & Funding
News
About NCI
Dictionary of Cancer Terms
In English   En español
Page Options
Print This Page
More NCI Dictionaries
NCI Drug Dictionary

Glossary of Statistical Terms

NCI Dictionary of Genetics Terms

Terminology Resources
Quit Smoking Today
Search for
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
In English   En español

plasma cell (PLAZ-muh SEL)

 A type of immune cell that makes large amounts of a specific antibody. Plasma cells develop from B cells that have been activated. A plasma cell is a type of white blood cell. Also called plasmacyte.

Enlarge
Blood cell development; drawing shows the steps a blood stem cell goes through to become a red blood cell, platelet, or white blood cell. A myeloid stem cell becomes a red blood cell, a platelet, or a myeloblast, which then becomes a granulocyte (the types of granulocytes are eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils). A lymphoid stem cell becomes a lymphoblast and then becomes a B lymphocyte, T lymphocyte, or natural killer cell. A B lymphocyte may become a plasma cell.




Previous Definitions:Plan B, plant sterol, plaque, plaque radiotherapy, plasma
Next Definitions:plasma cell myeloma, plasma cell tumor, plasma membrane, plasmacyte, plasmacytic

A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov