Anemia

Question 1

acanthocyte

Answer 1

• a form of red blood cell that has a spiked cell membrane, due to abnormal thorny projections
• similar term is spur cells

Question 2

basophilic stippling

Answer 2

• also known as punctate basophilia, is the presence of numerous basophilic granules that are dispersed through the cytoplasm of erythrocytes in a peripheral blood smear
• they can be demonstrated to be RNA

Question 3

degmacyte

Answer 3

• (a.k.a. “bite cell”) is an abnormally shaped red blood cell with one or more semicircular portions removed from the cell margin
• these “bites” result from the removal of denatured hemoglobin by macrophages in the spleen

Question 4

elliptocyte

Answer 4

• also known as ovalocytes, are abnormally shaped red blood cells that appear oval or elongated, from slightly egg-shaped to rod or pencil forms
• they have normal central pallor with the hemoglobin appearing concentrated at the ends of the elongated cells when viewed through a light microscope

Question 5

macroovalocyte

Answer 5

*enlarged, oval-shaped erythrocytes (red blood cells). *they are not seen in healthy blood, and are most commonly seen in megaloblastic anemia

Question 6

microcyte

Answer 6

*an unusually small red blood cell, associated with certain anemias

Question 7

macrocyte

Answer 7

*an exceptionally large red blood cell

Question 8

normocyte

Answer 8

*a red blood cell that is normal in size and in hemoglobin content

Question 9

ring sideroblast

Answer 9

*erythroblasts in which there are a minimum of five siderotic granules covering at least one third of the circumference of the nucleus

Question 10

siderotic

Answer 10

*iron-containing granules

Question 11

schistocyte

Answer 11

• fragmented red blood cells that can take on different shapes
• they can be found as triangular, helmet shaped, or comma shaped with pointed edges
• most often found to be microcytic with no area of central pallor

Question 12

sickle cell

Answer 12

*shaped like a sickle

Question 13

spherocyte

Answer 13

*sphere-shaped rather than bi-concave disk shaped as normal

Question 14

dacrocyte

Answer 14

*teardrop shaped

Question 15

target cell

Answer 15

*an abnormal form of red blood cell which appears as a dark ring surrounding a dark central spot

Question 16

hemosiderosis

Answer 16

*a form of iron overload disorder resulting in the accumulation of hemosiderin

Question 17

haptoglobin

Answer 17

*a protein produced by liver, binds with hemoglobin

Question 18

intravascular hemolysis

Answer 18

*RBCs destroyed while circulating due to mechanical reasons, complement fixation on RBC surfaces, exogenous toxins or parasites

Question 19

extravascular hemolysis

Answer 19

*abnormal RBCs are cleared by the spleen (mononuclear phagocyte system), usuall due to inability of RBCs to be deformed in splenic sinusoids

Question 20

anisocytosis

Answer 20

*red blood cells are of unequal size

Question 21

poikilocytosis

Answer 21

*variation in cell shape: poikilocytes may be oval, teardrop-shaped, sickle-shaped or irregularly contracted

Question 22

glossitis

Answer 22

*inflammation of the tongue

Question 23

ferritin

Answer 23

*Ferritin is a protein that contains iron and is the primary form of iron stored inside of cells. The small amount of ferritin that is released and circulates in the blood is a reflection of the total amount of iron stored in the body.

Question 24

TIBC

Answer 24

• total iron binding capacity
• Transferrin is the main protein in the blood that binds to iron and transports it throughout the body.
• Transferrin may be measured indirectly (or converted by calculation) so that its level is expressed as the amount of iron it is capable of binding. This is called the total iron binding capacity (TIBC)

Question 25

transferrin

Answer 25

*Transferrin is the main protein in the blood that binds to iron and transports it throughout the body.

Question 26

aplastic crisis

Answer 26

*an infection caused by parvovirus B19. It. causes production of red blood cells (RBCs) in the marrow to be shut down for up to 10 days

Question 27

hemolytic crisis

Answer 27

*an accelerated rate of red blood cell destruction

Question 28

direct Coombs test

Answer 28

• used to test for autoimmune hemolytic anemia

* used to detect antibodies or complement proteins attached to the surface of red blood cells

Question 29

sequestration crisis

Answer 29

*sudden accumulation of RBCs in the spleen due to sludging

Question 30

autosplenectomy

Answer 30

• increase risk of infections (loss of splenic function, defective complement opsonization)
• RBC with Howell Jolly bodies

Question 31

Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP)

Answer 31

*a precursor of Heme and normally occurs in very low concentration in red blood cells (RBC); elevated values indicate early impaired iron nutritional status, providing information about gradual changes in the iron supply to the marrow

Question 32

hepcidin

Answer 32

• hepcidin is a key regulator of the entry of iron into the circulation in mammals.
• During conditions in which the hepcidin level is abnormally high, such as inflammation, serum iron falls due to iron trapping within macrophages and liver cells and decreased gut iron absorption