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Micro World

How small is a human basophil?

A human basophil is about 12 µm across.

What is measured: circulating white blood cell, diameter

Human Basophil (12 µm) drawn to scale beside a red blood cell (7.5 µm) and a cloud droplet (20 µm)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: Red blood cell (7.5 µm), Human Basophil (12 µm) and Cloud droplet (20 µm).

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How big is that, really?

  • About 1.6× as wide as a red blood cell
  • About 60% of the width of a cloud droplet
  • About 5 would fit across a human hair
  • About 9 would fit across a human egg cell
  • About 6× the length of an E. coli bacterium

Learn

Facts about Human Basophil

Basophils are the rarest type of white blood cell but release histamine that drives allergic reactions.

Source: Robbins Basic Pathology; Blood Journal: Basophil biology

Micro World

NameSizeCompared with Human Basophil
Cryptococcus neoformans8 µm0.67×
Human Natural Killer Cell10 µm0.83×
Human Pancreatic Beta Cell10 µm0.83×
Rhizopus Spore10 µm0.83×
Human Basophil12 µmthis page
Human Dendritic Cell15 µm1.3×
Trichomonas vaginalis15 µm1.3×
Human Astrocyte15 µm1.3×
Human Kupffer Cell15 µm1.3×
Human Chondrocyte15 µm1.3×

Test your sense of scale

Which is bigger: Human Basophil or Human Natural Killer Cell?

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