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Glite Dictionary
fixed phagocyte

fixed phagocyte

8.6
A cell that stays in one organ and eats germs or dead cells
  • noun
  • /fɪkst ˈfeɪɡəˌsaɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fagocito fijo
  • Kupffer cells in the liver are a classic example of a fixed phagocyte in the human body.

Examples

  • Unlike a wandering phagocyte, a fixed phagocyte does not migrate through the bloodstream.

  • The fixed phagocytes in the liver help filter blood.

  • A fixed phagocyte remains stationed within certain tissues to defend against infection.

  • A fixed phagocyte is crucial for tissue immunity.

  • Kupffer cells in the liver are a classic example of a fixed phagocyte that plays a vital role in the immune response.

  • A fixed phagocyte remains stationed within tissues, such as the liver, to provide localized defense against pathogens.

  • The fixed phagocyte in bone marrow helps maintain the immune system by consuming dead cells and debris.

Antonyms

free phagocyte
  • Specialized
6.4

A white blood cell that moves in the blood and eats germs or dead cells

Surface Forms

fixed phagocyte singular
fixed phagocytes plural

Morphology

fixed + phagocyte

The meaning 'a phagocyte that remains within tissues' is directly derivable from combining 'fixed' (attached, not moving) with 'phagocyte' (a cell that engulfs pathogens). This modifier + noun composition is compositional and follows straightforward semantic logic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Fixed phagocyte uses two clear images: fixed means 'stays in one place' and phagocyte means 'cell that eats' germs or dead material. So a fixed phagocyte is a cell that stays in tissue and eats germs, which is why the name today means a phagocyte that does not move through the blood.