Red Blood Cell Pathology Flashcards
What is anisocytosis?
Abnormal size
What is poikilocytosis?
Abnormal shape
What are elliptocytes seen in?
Hereditary elliptocytosis
What are spherocytes?
Result from decreased erythrocyte membrane, and they may be seen in hereditary spherocytosis and in autoimmune hemolytic anemia
What are target cells?
Result from increased erythrocyte membrane, and they may be seen in hemoglobinopathies, thalassemia, and liver disease
What are acanthocytes?
Have irregular spicules on their surfaces; numerous acanthocytes can be seen in abetalipoproteinemia
What are echinocytes (burr cells)?
Have smooth undulations on their surface; they may be seen in uremia or more commonly as an artifact
What are schistocytes?
Erythrocyte fragments (helmet cells are a type od schistocyte); they can be seen in microangiopathic hemolytic anemias or traumatic hemolysis
What are bite cells?
Erythrocytes with “bites” of cytoplasm being removed by splenic macrophages; they may be seen in G6PD deficiency
What are teardrop cells (dacrocytes)?
May be seen in thalassemia and myelofibrosis
What are sickle cells (drepanocytes)?
Seen in sickle cell anemia
What are rouleaux?
“Stack of coins”
Erythrocytes lining up in a row.
Characteristic of multiple myeloma
What is basophilic stippling?
Results from cytoplasmic remnants of RNA; it may indicate reticulocytosis or lead poisoning
What are Howell-Jolly bodies?
Remnants of nuclear chromatin that may occur in severe anemias or patients without spleens
What are pappenheimer bodies?
Composed of iron, and they may be found in the peripheral blood following splenectomy
What are ring sideroblasts?
Iron trapped abnormally in mitochondria, forming a ring around nucleus; they can be seen in sideroblastic anemia
What are heinz bodies?
Result from denatured hemoglobin; they can be seen with G6PD deficiency
Examples of microcytic anemias
Iron deficiency
Thalassemia
Anemia of chronic disease
Sideroblastic anemia
Examples of macrocytic anemia
Alcoholic liver disease
Megaloblastic anemia:
B12 deficiency
Folate deficiency
Examples of normocytic anemia with low reticulocyte cell count
Marrow failure Aplastic anemia Myelofibrosis Leukemia/Metastasis Renal failure Anemia of chronic diseases
Examples of normocytic anemia with high reticulocyte cell count
Sickle cell anemia G6PD deficiency Hereditary spherocytosis Autoimmune hemolytic anemia Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Examples of hemolytic anemias
Hereditary spherocytosis G6PD deficiency Sickle cell disease Hemoglobin C disease Thalassemia PNH
Examples of immunohemolytic anemias
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)
Cold AIHA
Blood transfusions
Hemolytic disease of the newborn
Examples anemias of diminished erythropoiesis
Megaloblastic anemia (B12 and Folate deficiency) Iron deficiency anemia Anemia of chronic disease Aplastic anemia Myelophthisic anemia Sideroblastic anemia
What is anemia of chronic disease (AOCD)?
Characterized by iron being trapped in bone marrow macrophages, leading to decreased utilization of endogenous stores.
What is hepcidin?
Negative regulator of iron uptake in the small intestine and of iron release from macrophages
What is sideroblastic anemia?
Disorder in which the body has adequate iron stores, but is unable to incorporate the iron into hemoglobin
What is hereditary spherocytosis?
Autosomal dominant disorder caused by a defect involving ankyrin and spectrin in the erythrocyte mebrane; this causes a decrease in the erythrocyte surface membrane
What is paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)?
Hemolytic anemia caused by an acquired somatic mutation of a gene (PICA) that encodes an anchor for proteins (CD55 and CD59) in the cell membrane, causing complement mediated lysis of red cells, white cells and platelets.
