Final answer:
Cells with altered leukocyte common antigen and increased CAMs are specialized white blood cells involved in the immune system. Leukocytosis refers to their excessive proliferation, which can indicate disease conditions such as cancer. Lymphocytes, which are key immune cells, may change in numbers due to health issues like lymphoma.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cells that carry a variant of the leukocyte common antigen and increased levels of CAMs (Cell Adhesion Molecules) are typically specialized white blood cells functioning in the immune system. These cells respond to chemokines, which are chemotactic cytokines that recruit specific subsets of leukocytes to infections, damaged tissue, and sites of inflammation. Leukocytes, which include lymphocytes and mast cells, play crucial roles in the body's defense mechanisms.
Leukocytosis refers to an excessive proliferation of leukocytes, which can occur in varied disease conditions, including cancers, where the immune system is activated to respond to pathogens or abnormal cells. Conversely, leukopenia indicates a below-normal production of leukocytes, which can leave the body more susceptible to infections. Lymphocytes, a type of agranular leukocytes of the lymphoid stem cell line, are integral to specific immunity, and changes in their levels can be indicative of health alterations, including lymphomas, which are cancers of the lymphatic system. These alterations can affect the cell surface molecules such as MHC proteins, the presence of which signals whether a cell is healthy or cancerous.