Basophil

The elusive basophil has a simple or bilobed nucleus that is often difficult to see because of its most characteristic feature: a large number or coarse, purplish granules. These granules contain histamine, similar to mast cell granules. Basophils differ from eosinophils and neutrophils in that they are not phagocytes; instead, they degranulate to perform their immune function. They are intermediate in size between the other two classes of granulocytes.