What is immature granulocytes?

Immature granulocytes (IGs) are precursors to mature granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) normally found in the bone marrow. A small number of IGs may circulate in healthy individuals, but an elevated level often indicates an increased demand for neutrophils due to infection, inflammation, or other conditions.

• What are they?: IGs include metamyelocytes, myelocytes, and promyelocytes. These are stages in the development of granulocytes before they fully mature into neutrophils, eosinophils, or basophils. You can read more about them here: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Granulocyte%20Development

• Clinical Significance: The presence of elevated IGs in peripheral blood, particularly when reported by automated hematology analyzers, is often a sign of a "left shift" in the white blood cell population. This indicates that the bone marrow is releasing immature cells into circulation in response to a stimulus. More information about their clinical significance can be found here: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Clinical%20Significance%20of%20IGs

• Causes of Elevated IGs: Common causes include:

  • Bacterial infections
  • Inflammation (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease)
  • Trauma
  • Surgery
  • Certain medications (e.g., corticosteroids)
  • Leukemia and other hematological malignancies. To read more about causes: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Causes%20of%20Elevated%20IGs

• Automated Hematology Analyzers: Modern hematology analyzers can often detect and quantify IGs in peripheral blood. This provides a rapid and convenient way to assess the presence of immature granulocytes without the need for manual microscopy in many cases. More details are here: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/IGs%20and%20Hematology%20Analyzers

• Interpretation: While elevated IGs can be a helpful indicator, it's important to interpret the results in conjunction with other clinical findings, such as white blood cell count, differential count, and patient history. More about interpretation can be found here: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/IG%20Interpretation