blood cor'puscles

Syn.: blood cells. A general term for the solid or cellular elements in the blood, red b. c. Minute circular or oval bodies in the blood which contain the hem a globin and serve as carriers of oxygen. When ma ed they have the characteristic color of blood, but singly or in a thin layer and viewed by transmitted light, they are of a reddish yellow or yellowish green tint. In all Mammal i a they are non-nucleated, and their shape is that of circular, biconcave, or ovoid disks. In man their diameter varies from 7 to 8 n*.. In birds, reptiles, the Amphibia, and fishes they are nucleated and elliptical in shape. white b. c. Syn.: leukocytes. Minute nucleated cells found in various ti ues, especially in the circulating blood and lymph, having the power of ameboid movement. When at rest, they are rounded or spheroidal in form and, in man, about 10 min diameter. In number, their proportion to the red b. c. is about as 1 to 600 to 800.