Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsNeutrophilsSymptoms and CausesDiagnosisTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Neutrophils
Symptoms and Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Immatureneutrophilsare a type of white blood cell (neutrophil) that have not fully matured. Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cell. Like all white blood cells, they are involved in fighting infection and healing from injury and disease.
Neutrophils are especially associated with bacterial and fungal infections. They are produced in the bone marrow, where they usually mature frommyeloblaststopromyelocytes,myelocytes, metamyelocytes, band neutrophils, and finally, mature segmented neutrophils.
This article describes the symptoms of conditions causing immature neutrophils and what to expect if your blood tests show that you have an abnormal amount or abnormal morphology (shape, size, and other characteristics) of these cells.
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Why Are Some Neutrophils Immature?
Neutrophils are formed in thebone marrow. The neutrophils in the bone marrow in a healthy person contain a different population of the neutrophil lineage than that which is found in the peripheral blood.
The majority of the neutrophils in the bone marrow are immature. These include myeloblasts, promyelocytes, myelocytes, metamyelocytes, and bands. As immature neutrophils develop into band neutrophils, the nucleus (the structure that contains the cell’s genetic material) begins to show a band-like structure.
Immature neutrophils generally mature before being released into the blood to help fight infection, and normally, most neutrophils in the blood are mature.
Mature neutrophils are described as segmented neutrophils because their nuclei have a segmented appearance when examined with a microscope.
Sometimes, neutrophils are released into the blood before they mature, and this can cause neutrophilia (a high number of neutrophils) with a predominance of immature neutrophils. This is typically due to an infection and is called a left shift.
Neutrophils are the most common type of leukocyte (white blood cell), so neutrophilia often causes a high total leukocyte count (leukocytosis).
What Are the Symptoms and Causes of Immature Neutrophils?
Immature neutrophils are usually associated with an infection.The symptoms you may experience when you have a high number of immature neutrophils are typically the effects of the infection.
Symptoms include:
Immature neutrophils are associated withsepsis, a severe systemic (whole-body) reaction to an infection. Symptoms can include a high fever, trouble breathing, fluctuating blood pressure, alterations in blood sugar,tachycardia(rapid heart rate), and confusion. Sepsis can be life-threatening, and prompt medical attention and treatment are needed.
Other conditions can also lead to an excess of immature neutrophils in the blood, and if this is the case, the symptoms of these other conditions can occur.
Immature neutrophils are associated with:
In general, since there is not usually a high number of immature neutrophils in the blood, a lower than average number of immature neutrophils in the blood isn’t typically associated with symptoms.
How Are Immature Neutrophils Diagnosed?
Immature neutrophils can be identified with acomplete blood count (CBC), which is a blood test. This test measures the total number of red blood cells, platelets, and leukocytes (white blood cells) in a blood sample, as well as the number and percent of each type.
Depending on the automated instrument the laboratory has, immature neutrophils may be reported as part of the automated CBC with differential.
If the instrument detects a higher than normal number of immature neutrophils, this will usually trigger a WBC differential to be manually performed with aperipheral blood smear. In this test, lab professionals stain a blood smear and examine it under the microscope to identify types of white blood cells and any abnormalities of the red blood cells or platelets.
If you have immature neutrophils, your healthcare provider will consider your symptoms, medical history, and the number and percent of your other blood cells when formulating a plan for further diagnosis and treatment.
You might have a repeat CBC or need additional tests to identify the cause.
Examples of additional tests can include:
White Blood Cells (WBCs): Types and Function
How Do You Treat Immature Neutrophils?
In general, immature neutrophils will reach a normal level after treatment of the underlying cause. Even though they are immature, it has been shown that these cells are effective in fighting infections.
It isn’t necessarily considered beneficial to try to lower the number of immature neutrophils in the blood if they are there to fight a mild or moderate infection. You might need treatment for the infection and managing symptoms of the infection. Treatments can include antibiotics for a bacterial infection, medication to lower a fever, pain medication, intravenous fluid, or decongestants.
Treatments for serious causes of immature neutrophils include:
Immature neutrophils should normalize with effective treatment of the causative condition.
Summary
Immature neutrophils, which are also called band neutrophils, are normally present in low amounts in the blood. An increase in band neutrophils is usually temporary and indicative of an infection. Sometimes band neutrophils can increase due to inflammatory diseases or cancer.
Your medical history, symptoms, and blood tests would guide your treatment plan. Treatment is directed at the underlying problem.
A Word From Verywell
Immature neutrophils can be a sign of illness, but this result is expected in case of infection. They are a sign that your body is actively making more neutrophils than usual to battle the infection. You may even be already recovering from a mild or moderate infection.
You might need a repeat test, especially if you have not been feeling well for a while, and this can help determine whether you could have a medical illness that requires further testing and treatment.
Frequently Asked QuestionsA complete blood count (CBC) provides a number of immature neutrophils, as well as the percentage of cells that are immature neutrophils. The percentage of band neutrophils normally ranges from 0 to 3%.Band neutrophils are immature neutrophils that have a nucleus with a band-like appearance when examined with a microscope.In general, immature neutrophils are found in high amounts in the bone marrow and low amounts in the blood. An increase in immature neutrophils in the blood can be found with infections, inflammatory disease, trauma, cancer, and graft-versus-host disease.Many types of cancer can cause a high neutrophil count. Blood cancers, like lymphoma and leukemia, are most commonly associated with high numbers of neutrophils—and the neutrophils can be abnormal in their appearance and actions with these types of cancer.
A complete blood count (CBC) provides a number of immature neutrophils, as well as the percentage of cells that are immature neutrophils. The percentage of band neutrophils normally ranges from 0 to 3%.
Band neutrophils are immature neutrophils that have a nucleus with a band-like appearance when examined with a microscope.
In general, immature neutrophils are found in high amounts in the bone marrow and low amounts in the blood. An increase in immature neutrophils in the blood can be found with infections, inflammatory disease, trauma, cancer, and graft-versus-host disease.
Many types of cancer can cause a high neutrophil count. Blood cancers, like lymphoma and leukemia, are most commonly associated with high numbers of neutrophils—and the neutrophils can be abnormal in their appearance and actions with these types of cancer.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McKenna E, Mhaonaigh AU, Wubben R, et al.Neutrophils: need for standardized nomenclature.Front Immunol. 2021;12:602963. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.602963van Grinsven E, Textor J, Hustin LSP, Wolf K, Koenderman L, Vrisekoop N.Immature neutrophils released in acute inflammation exhibit efficient migration despite incomplete segmentation of the nucleus.J Immunol.2019;202(1):207-217. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1801255Honda T, Uehara T, Matsumoto G, Arai S, Sugano M.Neutrophil left shift and white blood cell count as markers of bacterial infection.Clin Chim Acta. 2016;457:46-53. doi:10.1016/j.cca.2016.03.017Mackey JBG, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM.Neutrophil maturity in cancer.Front Immunol.2019;10:1912. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01912Matthews NC, Burton CS, Alfred A.Low-density neutrophils in chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) are primarily immature CD10-and enhance T cell activation.Clin Exp Immunol. 2021;205(2):257-273. doi:10.1111/cei.13612Madjid M, Fatemi O.Components of the complete blood count as risk predictors for coronary heart disease: in-depth review and update.Tex Heart Inst J. 2013;40(1):17-29.Kaplan MJ.Role of neutrophils in systemic autoimmune diseases.Arthritis Res Ther. 2013;15(5):219. doi:10.1186/ar4325National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Complete blood count (CBC).Mount Sinai.Blood differential test.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.McKenna E, Mhaonaigh AU, Wubben R, et al.Neutrophils: need for standardized nomenclature.Front Immunol. 2021;12:602963. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.602963van Grinsven E, Textor J, Hustin LSP, Wolf K, Koenderman L, Vrisekoop N.Immature neutrophils released in acute inflammation exhibit efficient migration despite incomplete segmentation of the nucleus.J Immunol.2019;202(1):207-217. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1801255Honda T, Uehara T, Matsumoto G, Arai S, Sugano M.Neutrophil left shift and white blood cell count as markers of bacterial infection.Clin Chim Acta. 2016;457:46-53. doi:10.1016/j.cca.2016.03.017Mackey JBG, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM.Neutrophil maturity in cancer.Front Immunol.2019;10:1912. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01912Matthews NC, Burton CS, Alfred A.Low-density neutrophils in chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) are primarily immature CD10-and enhance T cell activation.Clin Exp Immunol. 2021;205(2):257-273. doi:10.1111/cei.13612Madjid M, Fatemi O.Components of the complete blood count as risk predictors for coronary heart disease: in-depth review and update.Tex Heart Inst J. 2013;40(1):17-29.Kaplan MJ.Role of neutrophils in systemic autoimmune diseases.Arthritis Res Ther. 2013;15(5):219. doi:10.1186/ar4325National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Complete blood count (CBC).Mount Sinai.Blood differential test.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
McKenna E, Mhaonaigh AU, Wubben R, et al.Neutrophils: need for standardized nomenclature.Front Immunol. 2021;12:602963. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.602963van Grinsven E, Textor J, Hustin LSP, Wolf K, Koenderman L, Vrisekoop N.Immature neutrophils released in acute inflammation exhibit efficient migration despite incomplete segmentation of the nucleus.J Immunol.2019;202(1):207-217. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1801255Honda T, Uehara T, Matsumoto G, Arai S, Sugano M.Neutrophil left shift and white blood cell count as markers of bacterial infection.Clin Chim Acta. 2016;457:46-53. doi:10.1016/j.cca.2016.03.017Mackey JBG, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM.Neutrophil maturity in cancer.Front Immunol.2019;10:1912. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01912Matthews NC, Burton CS, Alfred A.Low-density neutrophils in chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) are primarily immature CD10-and enhance T cell activation.Clin Exp Immunol. 2021;205(2):257-273. doi:10.1111/cei.13612Madjid M, Fatemi O.Components of the complete blood count as risk predictors for coronary heart disease: in-depth review and update.Tex Heart Inst J. 2013;40(1):17-29.Kaplan MJ.Role of neutrophils in systemic autoimmune diseases.Arthritis Res Ther. 2013;15(5):219. doi:10.1186/ar4325National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Complete blood count (CBC).Mount Sinai.Blood differential test.
McKenna E, Mhaonaigh AU, Wubben R, et al.Neutrophils: need for standardized nomenclature.Front Immunol. 2021;12:602963. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.602963
van Grinsven E, Textor J, Hustin LSP, Wolf K, Koenderman L, Vrisekoop N.Immature neutrophils released in acute inflammation exhibit efficient migration despite incomplete segmentation of the nucleus.J Immunol.2019;202(1):207-217. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1801255
Honda T, Uehara T, Matsumoto G, Arai S, Sugano M.Neutrophil left shift and white blood cell count as markers of bacterial infection.Clin Chim Acta. 2016;457:46-53. doi:10.1016/j.cca.2016.03.017
Mackey JBG, Coffelt SB, Carlin LM.Neutrophil maturity in cancer.Front Immunol.2019;10:1912. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01912
Matthews NC, Burton CS, Alfred A.Low-density neutrophils in chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) are primarily immature CD10-and enhance T cell activation.Clin Exp Immunol. 2021;205(2):257-273. doi:10.1111/cei.13612
Madjid M, Fatemi O.Components of the complete blood count as risk predictors for coronary heart disease: in-depth review and update.Tex Heart Inst J. 2013;40(1):17-29.
Kaplan MJ.Role of neutrophils in systemic autoimmune diseases.Arthritis Res Ther. 2013;15(5):219. doi:10.1186/ar4325
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Complete blood count (CBC).
Mount Sinai.Blood differential test.
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