Final answer:
Lymphocytes and monocytes are the cells often mistaken for each other by automated leukocyte counters due to their similar sizes and morphologies. Lymphocytes vary in size and are crucial for immune response, while monocytes mature into macrophages that clear dead cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cells that are often mistaken for each other, especially by machines that run automated leukocyte counts, are lymphocytes and monocytes. Machines can confuse these two types of leukocytes due to their similar morphologies. Lymphocytes are a type of leukocyte that originates from lymphoid stem cells and are central to the immune response. They can vary greatly in size, with the smaller cells being approximately 6-9 µm and larger ones being around 10-14 µm, sometimes extending up to 14-17 µm. Monocytes, on the other hand, give rise to phagocytic macrophages that help to clean up dead and damaged cells in the body.
Lymphocytes and monocytes are both crucial components of the adaptive immune system, with monocytes maturing in the bone marrow before transforming into macrophages in body tissues. Due to their overlapping size ranges and the presence of a large nucleus in lymphocytes, creating a 'halo' effect, automated counters may mistakenly classify one as the other.