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neutrophil (NOO-tro-fil)

 A type of immune cell that is one of the first cell types to travel to the site of an infection. Neutrophils help fight infection by ingesting microorganisms and releasing enzymes that kill the microorganisms. A neutrophil is a type of white blood cell, a type of granulocyte, and a type of phagocyte.

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Blood cells; drawing shows six types of white blood cells (monocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and macrophages), a red blood cell (erythrocyte), and platelets.




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