Erythrocyte Morphology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the only way to accurately determine RBC morphology?

A

stained blood film made from blood collected into an EDTA for a CBC - hematology analyzer CANNOT provide this information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the 3 main reasons to perform a blood smear?

A
  1. confirm CBC data generated from the analyzer
  2. help determine the cause of certain diseases
  3. helps identify infectious organisms
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the 3 zones of a blood smear?

A
  1. body
  2. monolayer (cell counting)
  3. feathered edge
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What 2 stains are most commonly used for blood smears?

A
  1. quick Romanowsky (Diff Quik) = clinic
  2. Romanowsky-type (Wright-Giemsa) = commercial
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the main 2 characteristics of canine erythrocytes?

A
  1. area of central pallor due to biconcave disc structure
  2. 7 µm in diameter - the largest RBCs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How do feline erythrocytes compare to canine ones? What 2 characteristics are normal to find?

A

no prominent central pallor coloration and smaller

  1. poikilocytosis - slight shape variation
  2. mild Rouleaux formation - clumping
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How do bovine erythrocytes compare to canine ones? What characteristic is normal to find?

A

no prominent central pallor coloration and smaller

anisocytosis - size variation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How do equine erythrocytes compare to canine ones? What characteristic is normal to find?

A

no prominent central pallor coloration and smaller

Rouleaux formation - RBCs stacked in a row

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

In what animals is Rouleaux formation normal?

A
  • cat
  • horse
  • pig
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the normal morphology of camelid erythrocytes?

A

(llamas, alpacas, camels)

elliptical to oval

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What do avian, reptile, and amphibian erythrocytes look like?

A

large, nucleated, elliptical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is anisocytosis?

A

difference in cell size (normal in bovine)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are macrocytes? In what 2 situations are they commonly found?

A

large RBCs

  1. polychromasia in animals with regenerative anemia (high MCV if significant)
  2. horses with regenerative anemia (do not release reticulocytes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

In what 3 situations is it less common to have circulating macrocytes?

A
  1. FeLV
  2. inherited disorders in Mini and Toy Poodles and Poll Hereford cattle
  3. vitamin B12 deficiencies common in Giant Schnauzers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is this? In Which species?

A

macrocyte

camelid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are microcytes? In what 3 situations is it commonly found?

A

small RBCs (decreased MCV when significant)

  1. iron deficiency (concomitantly with low MCHC)
  2. vitamin B6 deficiency
  3. portosystemic shunts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

In what animals is it normal to see microcytes?

A
  • Shiba Inus, Akitas
  • young animals
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What do color differences in erythrocytes indicate?

A

changes in RBC hemoglobin content

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is polychromasia? What is it indicative of? How does it show on CBC?

A

“many colors” - presence of both mature RBCs and reticulocytes

regenerative anemia

decreased MCHC and/or MCH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is hypochromasia? In what 2 situations is it commonly found? How does it show on CBC?

A

less hemoglobin than usual

  1. iron deficiency
  2. lead toxicity (blocks hemoglobin synthesis)

decreased MCHC and/or MCH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What on the CBC indicates hyperchromasia?

A

increased MCHC and/or MCH - ARTIFACTUAL

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is happening in this blood smear?

A

polychromasia - immature, anucleated RBCs and normal RBCs

(anemic dog)

23
Q

What is happening in this blood smear?

A

hypochromasia - iron deficiency

24
Q

What is poikilocytosis? What are 4 common causes?

A

differences in erythrocyte shape

  1. oxidative damage
  2. fragmentary injury of RBCs
  3. diseases, deficiencies
  4. artifact, envenomation, arthropod bites
25
Q

In what animals is poikilocytosis normal?

A

healthy goats, young cattle, and pigs

26
Q

What kind of RBCs are these? What causes this?

A

eccenterocytes - wearing a pale hat

oxidative damage

27
Q

What are Heinz bodies? How can they be visualized?

A

denatured, precipitated hemoglobin on RBCs due to oxidative damage

new methylene blue stain

28
Q

What are 6 specific causes of oxidative damage that causes changes in RBC morphology?

A
  1. acetaminophen (cats)
  2. onion and garlic (dogs)
  3. Brassica (ruminants)
  4. copper poisoning (sheep)
  5. zinc
  6. red maple leaf (horses)
29
Q

Eccentrocyte vs. Heinz body:

A
30
Q

What are the arrows pointing to?

A

eccentrocytes - “pale hats”

oxidative damage

31
Q

What are the arrows pointing to?

A

Heinz bodies

oxidative damage

32
Q

What are the 3 main erythrocyte changes caused by fragmentary injury?

A
  1. keratocytes/pre-keratocytes - piece bitten out
  2. schistocytes - fragment
  3. acanthocytes - hand-like projections
33
Q

What are 4 specific causes of erythrocyte fragmentary injury?

A
  1. disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC)
  2. hemangiosarcoma
  3. cardiac disease
  4. diseases that cause turbulent blood flow
34
Q

What are the arrows pointing to?

A

schistocytes - fragments

fragmentary injury

35
Q

What causes the formation of schistocytes? In what 4 situations are they seen in?

A

shearing by intravascular fibrin or turbulent blood flow inside vasculature

  1. DIC
  2. hemangiosarcoma
  3. glomerulonephritis
  4. myelofibrosis, vasculitis
36
Q

What are the arrows pointing to?

A

acanthocytes - octopus, hands

fragmentary injury

37
Q

What are acanthocytes? What 4 disorders are they associated with?

A

spiculated RBC resulting from lipid alteration of RBC’s membrane (no longer have a smooth membrane)

  1. hemangiosarcoma
  2. glomerulonephritis
  3. liver disease
  4. lymphoma
38
Q

What is seen in this blood smear?

A

keratocytes - bitten out, purse-like

fragmentary damage

39
Q

What are keratocytes? When are they most commonly seen?

A

RBCs with blister-like vesicle (that can rupture), leaving a bite-shaped defect in the cell outline or 1-2 horn-like projections

DIC (with schistocytes)

40
Q

What are codocytes? In what 3 situations are they most common?

A

“target cells” or leptocytes where lipid alteration causes them to fold

  1. liver disease (portosystemic shunt)
  2. lipid disorders
  3. iron deficiency anemia
41
Q

What are the arrows pointing to?

A

codocytes - target cells

42
Q

What are echinocytes/crenation?

A

star-like spikes on RBCs that are most commonly an artifact due to excess EDTA relative to the amount of blood, or from snake envenomation

43
Q

When are echinocytes/crenation a helpful hematological marker of snake envenomation?

A

formation within 24 hours of the snakebite

44
Q

What is happening in this blood smear?

A

echinocytes/crenation - star, burr

45
Q

What are the cell shape patterns seen in DIC, hemangiosarcomas, glomerulonephritis, and liver disease?

A

DIC = keratocytes, schistocytes

HSA = acanthocytes, schistocytes

GN = acanthocytes, schistocytes

LIVER DZ = acanthocytes, codocytes

46
Q

What are the general forms of Mycoplasma? What species affect cats, dogs, pigs, cows, camelids, and sheep?

A

circular, rod-shaped, or ring-shaped

CAT = M. haemofelis
DOG = M. haemocanis
PIG = M. suis, M. parvum
COW = M. wenyonii
CAMELID = M. haemolamae
SHEEP = M. ovis

47
Q

Mycoplasma felis:

A

very small (0.1-0.5 µm), needs immersion oil

+ reticulocytes

48
Q

Mycoplasma suis:

A

directly on RBC

49
Q

Anaplasma marginale (ruminant) is shown in the blood smear. What do these findings indicate?

A

2 macrocytes (large RBC) and polychromatophil are present, indicating a regenerative response

50
Q

How do Babesia canis and Babesia gibsoni compare? What are they indicative of?

A

Babesia canis = larger
Babesia gibsoni = smaller

extravascular hemolytic anemia due to parasite lysis of RBC

51
Q

Babesia canis:

A

large, tear-shaped

52
Q

Babesia gibsoni:

A

smaller

+ neutrophil

53
Q

What is the characteristic structure of Cytauxzoon felis?

A

ring or safety pin shape within RBC

54
Q

What is seen in this blood smear?

A

larval Dirofilaria immitis, or heartworm

(larva in blood; adult in heart)