What type of immune cells are primarily involved in the process of phagocytosis?

The immune cells that are primarily involved in phagocytosis are neutrophils and macrophages. These cells play a crucial role in the innate immune response by identifying, engulfing, and destroying pathogens such as bacteria and fungi.

Neutrophils are often the first responders to sites of infection or inflammation. They are highly mobile and can rapidly move to areas where they are needed, where they use phagocytosis to ingest and break down foreign particles and microorganisms. Macrophages, on the other hand, are derived from monocytes and are found throughout the body, where they serve both as phagocytes and as antigen-presenting cells. They not only engulf pathogens but also help coordinate the overall immune response by interacting with other immune cells.

In contrast, T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes are primarily responsible for the adaptive immune response. They do not perform phagocytosis; instead, T cells are involved in killing infected host cells or helping other immune cells, while B cells produce antibodies.

Natural killer cells are a type of lymphocyte that target and destroy infected or cancerous cells; they are not phagocytes and do not engage in the process of engulfing pathogens.

Dendritic cells are specialized antigen-presenting cells, playing