monocytic

Monocytic is an adjective applied to anything relating to monocytes, a class of leukocytes that forms part of the body's innate immune system. Monocytes develop in the bone marrow from myeloid progenitors, enter the bloodstream, and typically circulate for about a day before migrating into tissues. There they differentiate into macrophages or dendritic cells, and contribute to host defense through phagocytosis, removal of dead cells, antigen presentation, and cytokine production. In humans, monocytes can be further categorized into subsets by surface markers, commonly described as classical (CD14++ CD16−), intermediate (CD14++ CD16+), and non-classical (CD14+ CD16++) monocytes; these subsets display distinct patterns of patrolling, inflammatory response, and tissue differentiation.

In clinical and pathologic contexts, "monocytic" is used to describe cells, diseases, or processes related to monocytes. Acute monocytic leukemia (AML M5) is a form of acute myeloid leukemia characterized by a predominance of monocytic lineage cells. Monocytic cells also play a central role in chronic inflammation and tissue remodeling: circulating monocytes are recruited to sites of injury or infection, where they become macrophages that orchestrate immune responses, participate in phagocytosis, and influence inflammatory signaling. In histology, monocytic cells can be identified by a combination of surface markers and morphology, and they contribute to conditions such as atherosclerosis and granulomatous diseases through macrophage formation and antigen presentation.