Erythrogram - Ex 1 Flashcards
What is the primary hormone that regulates RBC production
Erythropoietin
RBC
Conc of erythrocytes: how many erythrocytes in a given volume of plasma
Hgb
Conc of free Hgb w/in plasma after all the erythrocytes have been purposefully lysed
MCV (Mean Cell Volume)
The average volume (size) of the erythrocytes in femtoliter (fL)
MCHC (Mean Cell Hgb Conc.)
The concentration of Hgb, on average, w/in individual erythrocytes
**High MCHC is always artifactual
RDW (Red cell Distribution Width)
Tells you if all the RBCs are about the same size
Reticulocytes
young erythrocytes that still contain some organelles
Hemopathology
Description of morphologic abnormalities
Shape - RBCs
Most mammals: biconcave disc
Camelids: oval
Other vertebrates: nucleated oval disc
Normocytic
RBCs with normal amount of Hgb
Polychromatophils
appear bluish, indicate regenerations (will stain with reticulocytes stain)
Hypochromasia
Pale; central pallor is increased
Indicates decreased Hgb concentration –> look for dec MCHC
Anisocytosis
Variation in size
Macrocytosis
- Regeneration
- Macrocytosis in cats, w/out polychromatic –> FeLV - with or w.out anemia
**Agglutination can result in erroneously inc MCV
Microcytosis
- PSS
- Iron deficiency
- Chronic inflammatory process (rare)
- Akitas and Shiba Inus - normal have low MCV
Echinocytes
“Spiny” , crenated cells
- Most common shape change! Usually an artifact
- Can occur with SEVERE electrolyte disturbances and uremia
- Rattlesnake envenomation (type III, very fine spikes)
Acanthocytes
“Thorny”
- lipid abnormalities of the cell membrane
** Hemangiosarcomas
Keratocytes
“Horn-like”
- Oxidative injury
- iron deficiency
Schistocytes
“Split” or “fissure”
- Often seen with keratocytes and acanthocytes
- Due to shearing or intravascular trauma
- Fibrin strands with DIC
- Microangiopathic disorders
- hemangiosarcoma
- iron deficiency
Spherocytes
“Round ball”
- IMHA
Eccentrocytes
Hgb placed eccentrically within RBC membrane
- Oxidative damage
Stomatocytes
“Mouth”
- usually due to membrane defect
nRBCs
- Regeneration
* Lead poisoning
Only way to determine regeneration
Reticulocytes/polychromasia
Howell Jolly Bodies
Regeneration
- remnants of nuclei
Basophilic stippling
- Regeneration –> ruminants especially
* lead poisoning
Distemper virus inclusion
Pale spot, almost the same color of the erythrocyte
Heinz body
Dark blue spot
- Oxidative denaturation
Rouleaux
Normal in horses and cats
Increased with high plasma protein concentration
Agglutination
IMHA
