Final answer:
Corticosteroids, such as glucocorticoids, can downregulate the immune system and inhibit the inflammatory response. They can be used to treat inflammatory or immunologically mediated disorders but may also reduce the production of lymphocytes, affecting the body's ability to fight off infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Corticosteroids, such as glucocorticoids, can affect white blood cells (WBCs) in multiple ways. One way is by downregulating the immune system, which inhibits the inflammatory response. This can be useful in treating inflammatory or immunologically mediated disorders. However, a drawback is that corticosteroids can also reduce the body's ability to fight off infections by reducing the production of lymphocytes, which are important in the immune response.