ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the dynamics of white blood cells circulating in the vascular system. It focuses on the microcirculation of white blood cells in the pulmonary capillaries, a very important issue because, in some acute diseases, white blood cells are sequestered in the capillaries and release toxic products that seriously damage lung tissue. The chapter describes the dynamics of THP1 monocytes in a micro-fluidic narrow channel network that mimics the pulmonary capillary bed. White blood cells (WBCs) are produced in the bone marrow and are found throughout the body, particularly in the blood and lymphatic system. Neutrophils are the most abundant WBC, constituting 60-70% of the WBCs of most mammals. Most of the studies on WBC circulation focused on neutrophils, as the most common WBCs. Deregulation of WBC activation and/or circulation can have dramatic effects as observed for some pathologies like sepsis, cancer, pulmonary disease or injury.
