The Erythrocyte Flashcards
 overall, as normal RBCs mature what changes are seen?
-cell size decrease
-nuclear chromatin pattern becomes denser
-Nucleoli disappear
-amount and color of cytoplasm changes
-size of nucleus decreases greater than the size of the cell (N:C) ratio 
Production of total population of mature red blood cells and their precursors in blood, bone marrow, and other sites.
Erythropoiesis 
When viable red blood cells (Both in number and quality) are delivered to the circulation to function effectively
Effective erythropoiesis
How is effective erythropoiesis measured?
By reticulocyte (retic) and total RBC counts
When RBCs are unable to deliver sufficient O2 to the tissues (Either due to numbers or quality) resulting in anemia, thus causing hypoxia
Ineffective erythropoiesis
A decrease in circulating RBC mass and/or Hemoglobin content
Anemia
Lack of oxygen in body tissues
Hypoxia
______________ are the primary site for storage of iron in the bone marrow (nurse cell)
Macrophages
_____________ is the protein that binds and transports iron to either storage or developing red blood cells
Transferrin
______________ cells are the lining cells of the bone marrow and blood vessels. 
Endothelial
What are the six stages of RBC naturation/amplification?
• Pronormoblast (rubriblast or Proerythroblast) “-blast”
• basophilic normoblast
• polychromatic normoblast
• orthochromic normoblast
• reticulocyte “retic-“
• Erythrocyte
What is the size of a pronormobalst (blast)? 
12-20 micrometers
What is the N:C ratio for pronormoblast (blasts)?
High ratio at 8:1
Contains nucleoli and fine chromatin, round to slightly oval shape 
”blast”
cytoplasm: Very basophilic (High RNA content, lots of organelles), with lighter staining perinuclear area around Golgi (not always visible) 
Very blue
“Blast”
What is the size of basophilic Normoblasts? 
10-15 Micrometers
Nucleus Is round, coarser chromatin, no visible Nucleoli*
Basophilic normoblast 
Cytoplasm temporary even more basophilic (Royal blue); Golgi may be visible as light area near nucleus
Basophilic normoblast 
What is the N:C ratio for Basophilic normoblasts? 
6:1
Can hemoglobin be seen in the basophilic normoblast stage? 
Hemoglobin is being synthesized but cannot be seen yet, Can only see RNA at this stage
What is the size of polychromatic normoblasts? 
10-12 micrometers
The nucleus is round, sometimes eccentric, smaller, with coarser chromatin 
Polychromatic normoblast 
What is the first stage you can see hemoglobin?
Polychromatic normoblast 
-gives blue/gray color
What is the N:C ratio for polychromatic normoblasts?
4:1
Cytoplasm is opaque, violet-blue or grayish color (Due to Hgb Synthesis)
*polychromasia 
Polychromatic normoblast 
What is the last stage capable of mitosis? 
Polychromatic normoblast 
What is the last stage to have a nucleus? 
Orthochromic normoblast
What is the size of orthochromic normoblasts?
8-10 micrometers
Pyknotic (Degenerated nuclear chromatin, very dark), Eventually extruded
Orthochromic normoblast
The cytoplasm is polychromasia (Blue/gray) 
Orthochromic normoblast 
Which stage do automated analyzers mistake for WBCs? 
Orthochromic normoblast
What percentage of orthochromic normoblasts are scene in circulation?
Only small percentage
What is the N:C ratio for Orthochromic normoblast?
1:2
What stage is typically called “ Nucleated red” ?
Orthochromic normoblast
A WBC count must be corrected if _____ or more Orthochromic normoblasts, “ Nucleated red”, are present on a 100 cell WBC differential
5
Immature RBCs are called…
Reticulocytes “retic-“ 
What is the cell size of Reticulocytes?
7-9 micrometers (nearly normal)
No nucleus present. Varying degrees of polychromasia (Variation in cytoplasmic color, usually a bluish tinge, May have basophilic stippling) 
Reticulocytes
”awkward stage” but can still function and deliver oxygen
Reticulocytes
What is the basophilic stippling seen in reticulocytes?
Leftover RNA aggregates 
Reticulocytes reside in marrow for ___ day(s), And then retained in the spleen for pitting and polishing for a few days, then released as a mature cell
1
What is it called when the spleen removes RNA inclusions?
“Pitting” 
Do all Reticulocytes show stippling? 
No, but show Polychromasia
Reticulocytes are ___________ Larger and bumpier than RBCs
Slightly
What is a very old nickname for retics? 
“Shift cell”
-if not visible as basophilic stippling residual RNA can be stained with a supravital stain (“in living sate”), Using either new methylene blue (common) or brilliant cresyl blue stain (rarer)