A type of white blood cell that plays a part in inflammatory and allergic reactions.
1. n. a variety of white blood cell distinguished by a lobed nucleus and the presence in its cytoplasm of coarse granules that stain purple-black with *Romanowsky stains. Basophils are capable of ingesting foreign particles and contain *histamine and *heparin. There are normally 30–150 × 106 basophils per litre of blood. See also polymorph. 2. (basophilic) adj. describing any cell that stains well with basic dyes. For example, certain cells in the anterior pituitary gland are basophilic.
The blueish appearance under the microscope of immature red blood corpuscles when stained by certain dyes. This appearance, with the blue areas collected in points, is seen in lead poisoning and the condition is called punctate basophilia. The term basophilia may also mean an increase in the numbers of basophil cells in the blood.... basophilia
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