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Basophils
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
Basophils are blood cells that contain coarse purple-blue granules in their cytoplasm. The main component of basophil granules is histamine.
The lifespan of basophils is 8-12 days; the period of circulation in the peripheral blood, as with all granulocytes, is short - several hours.
The main function of basophils is to participate in immediate hypersensitivity reactions. They also participate in delayed hypersensitivity reactions, in inflammatory and allergic reactions, and in the regulation of vascular wall permeability.
Reference values (norms) of absolute and relative content of basophils in the blood
Age |
Absolute quantity, ×10 9 /l |
Relative quantity,% |
12 months 4-6 years 10 years 21 years old Adults |
0-0.2 0-0.2 0-0.2 0-0.2 0-0.2 |
0.4 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 |
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