Hem 3 - RBC Basics Flashcards
What substance do erythrocyte rely for energy?
Glucose.
What is the difference b/w anisocytosis and poikilocytosis?
Red cells of varying sizes. Red cells of varying shapes.
What is the terminology to describe too many red cells?
Polycythemia. Erythrocytosis.
What are immature red cells called?
Reticulocytes.
What is basophilic stippling?
Little purple dots all over the RBC; caused by the inhibition of the enzyme that breaks down RNA. Most commonly associated w/ lead poisoning. Thalassemias, anemia of chronic disease and alcohol abuse can also cause it.
What is an Echinocyte?
A burr cell, which is regular uniform spikes all over the RBC. It is caused by uremia in renal failure.
What are Acanthocytes?
They are spur cells, irregularly spikes all over the surface of RBC. They are seen in liver disease and abetalipoproteinemia.
What are Schistocytes?
Fragmented RBCs, left over pieces of RBC that have been left off. Caused by DIC or TTP-HUS (thrombocytopenic purpura - hemolytic uremia syndrome), where some pathological intervascular clotting and a huge network of fibrin mesh inside. The RBCs have to go thru it, and some break.
What are the cause of target cells?
[THAL] Thalassemia, Hemoglobin C disease. Asplenia. Liver disease.
What are Howell-Jolly bodies?
A basophilic remnant of a nucleus in an RBC. They are seen in patients with no spleen.
What are Heinz bodies And Bite cells?
Occurs when hemoglobin gets oxidized, which causes it to precipitate inside the RBC. They are denatured clumps of hemoglobin and are called Heinz bodies. Macrophages take a bite out of RBCs with Heinz bodies, leaving them as Bite cells.
What is the difference b/w Howell-Jolly body and a Heinz body?
Howell-Jolly bodies are remnants of nucleus while Heinz bodies are remnants of clumped hemoglobin. There can only be one Howell-Jolly body per RBC (1 nucleus) while there can be many Heinz bodies in RBC. Heinz bodies also stain well with Methelyn blue.
In what disease are tear drop cells seen?
Mylofibrosis.
In what disease do we see pencil cells?
AKA cigar cells, or elliptocytes, seen in hereditary elliptocytosis.
What is a Sideroblast?
A nucleated red cell precursor. It has granules of iron in the mitochondria. They are normally found in bone marrow of normal heathy people. Not pathological.
