What does it mean if ovalocytes are present?
Ovalocytes are egg-shaped RBCs commonly associated with vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies or megaloblastic anemias. The more severe the deficiency, the more prevalent the ovalocytes. Ovalocytes are frequently destroyed in the spleen, causing anemia.
What does irregular shaped red blood cells mean?
RBCs carry oxygen and nutrients to your body’s tissues and organs. If your RBCs are irregularly shaped, they may not be able to carry enough oxygen. Poikilocytosis is usually caused by another medical condition, such as anemia, liver disease, alcoholism, or an inherited blood disorder.
Can anemia cause ovalocytes?
Iron deficiency anemia, a common type of anemia that is seen when there is insufficient iron in the body, contains elliptocytes (ovalocytes). Megaloblastic anemia caused by a deficiency of either folate or vitamin B-12 contains dacrocytes (teardrop cells), elliptocytes.
What causes fragmented red blood cells?
The most common causes of abnormal fragmentation were malignancy with cytotoxic chemotherapy and severe iron deficiency. In two subjects, an abnormal red blood cell fragmentation pattern was the clue to a spectrin mutant in subjects with an automated blood count previously evaluated as normal.
What is the cause of spherocytes?
Genetic Disease. Hereditary spherocytosis is a genetic disease, which means that it is caused by one or more genes not working correctly.
Is spherocytosis a Microcytic?
Spherocytes are small-diameter cells, which are included in this section, although these cells are not truly microcytic. Spherocytes may appear as small-diameter cells on a blood smear; however, this is caused by their spheric shape, which conserves volume after removal of membrane.
Can anemia cause schistocytes?
The presence of schistocytes (fragmented red blood cells) on the peripheral blood smear suggests red blood cell injury from damaged endothelium and is a characteristic feature of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.
What is the clinical significance of spherocytes?
Spherocytes are the predominant morphologic abnormality in patients with hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and hemolytic transfusion reactions, and are common, along with schizocytes, in patients with red cell fragmentation disorders.
What anemia has spherocytes?
Hereditary spherocytic anemia is a rare disorder of the surface layer (membrane) of red blood cells. It leads to red blood cells that are shaped like spheres, and premature breakdown of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia).
Why are erythrocytes shaped the way they are?
Erythrocytes are biconcave discs with very shallow centers. This shape optimizes the ratio of surface area to volume, facilitating gas exchange. It also enables them to fold up as they move through narrow blood vessels. Hemoglobin is a large molecule made up of proteins and iron.
What are Cigar cells in blood smear?
Cigar cell s (also referred to as pencil cells) are red blood cells that are cigar or pencil shaped on Peripheral blood smear. Cigar cells are commonly associated with hereditary elliptocytosis. However, they may also be seen in iron deficiency anemia and other pathological states that decrease red blood cell turnover…
What is an erythrocyte disk?
Erythrocytes are biconcave disks; that is, they are plump at their periphery and very thin in the center ( (Figure) ). Since they lack most organelles, there is more interior space for the presence of the hemoglobin molecules that, as you will see shortly, transport gases.
What is an immature erythrocyte called?
During the first day or two that it is in the circulation, an immature erythrocyte, known as a reticulocyte, will still typically contain remnants of organelles.