MLT 251 - Hematopoiesis: Erythrocytes TERMs

Familiarize yourself with more hematology terms.

Hematopoiesis

The process of blood cell formation, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, primarily occurs in the bone marrow.

Pluripotent

Stem cells that can differentiate into all types of blood cells.

Progenitor

Cells that give rise to specific types of blood cells but are no longer pluripotent.

Proliferation

The rapid multiplication of cells, especially progenitor cells, in response to specific signals, resulting in increased blood cell production.

Differentiation

The process by which stem cells or progenitor cells develop into more specialized blood cell types.

Mesoblastic

Referring to the formation of blood cells in the embryonic mesoderm, primarily during early development.

Hepatic

Referring to the formation of blood cells in the liver, which primarily occurs during the second trimester of embryonic development.

Medullary

Referring to the formation of blood cells in the bone marrow, which primarily occurs after birth and throughout adulthood.

In utero

Referring to the environment within the womb during fetal development, where hematopoiesis occurs in various stages.

Myeloid

In bone marrow, it refers to the lineage of blood cells that originate there, particularly granulocytes and monocytes.

Reticuloendothelial (RE system)

A network of cells involved in the immune response, particularly the filtering of pathogens and dead cells from the blood, originating from the bone marrow and lymphatic system.

Nucleoli

Small, dense structures in the nucleus are responsible for ribosomal RNA synthesis and assembly.

Ribosome

Cellular machinery for protein synthesis.

Pyknotic

Describes a cell nucleus that is shrunken and densely stained, indicating cellular degeneration or death.

Megakaryocyte

Large bone marrow cells that produce platelets, essential for blood clotting.

Thymus

An organ in the immune system where T cells mature.

M:E ratio

The ratio of myeloid to erythroid cells in the bone marrow is used to assess hematopoietic disorders.

Blast

A type of immature cell that is a precursor to mature blood cells, typically referring to hematopoietic stem cells.

NRBC

Nucleated red blood cell, often seen in certain hematologic conditions or during fetal development.

Polychromasia

The presence of red blood cells that vary in color due to the presence of varying amounts of hemoglobin indicates a response to anemia or other conditions.

Reticulocyte

An immature red blood cell is characterized by the presence of a network of ribosomal RNA. Reticulocytes are produced in the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream, where they mature into erythrocytes.

Vital stain

A dye used to highlight cellular components, particularly reticulocytes in blood smears, allowing for the assessment of erythropoiesis.

Central pallor

The lighter area in the center of a red blood cell, indicative of hemoglobin concentration and morphology.

Inclusion

Abnormal structures within red blood cells, such as Heinz bodies or Howell-Jolly bodies, that can indicate underlying diseases or conditions.

Rouleaux

A formation of red blood cells stacked like coins, often seen in certain pathological conditions such as multiple myeloma.

Normocytic

Referring to red blood cells that are of normal size, typically in conditions where anemia is not present.

Microcytic

Referring to red blood cells that are smaller than usual, which are often associated with conditions like iron deficiency anemia.

Macrocytic

Referring to red blood cells that are larger than usual, which are often associated with conditions such as vitamin B12 deficiency or folate deficiency.

Normochromic

Referring to red blood cells with normal hemoglobin concentration, which typically indicates adequate oxygen-carrying capacity.

Hypochromic

Referring to red blood cells that are less colored than normal, often indicating lower hemoglobin levels, is commonly seen in iron-deficiency anemia.

Anisocytosis

The presence of red blood cells of unequal sizes often indicates a form of anemia or other hematological condition.

Poikilocytosis

The presence of abnormally shaped red blood cells may indicate various types of anemia or other blood disorders.

Ovalocyte

A type of red blood cell that is oval or elliptical in shape, often associated with certain types of anemia or other medical conditions.

Elliptocyte

An abnormally shaped red blood cell that is elliptical or oval, often associated with conditions such as hereditary elliptocytosis or certain types of anemia.

Spherocyte

A type of red blood cell that is spherical in shape, often associated with conditions like hereditary spherocytosis or autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Target cell

A type of red blood cell that has a bullseye appearance, associated with conditions such as liver disease or hemoglobinopathies.

Sickle cell

A form of red blood cell that is crescent-shaped, commonly found in sickle cell disease, which causes blockages in blood flow and can lead to pain and other complications.

Crenation

The process by which red blood cells lose water and shrivel into a spiky shape, often due to hypertonic solutions.

Dual population

Refers to the presence of two distinct cell types in a sample, often seen in conditions like polycythemia vera, where both normal and abnormal red blood cells coexist.

Schistocyte

A fragmented red blood cell often seen in conditions like microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.

Acanthocyte

A type of red blood cell characterized by irregular projections or spikes on its surface, commonly associated with liver disease and certain lipid metabolism disorders.

Tear drop cell

An abnormal red blood cell characterized by a teardrop or pear shape, often associated with conditions like myelofibrosis or other bone marrow disorders.

Stomatocyte

A red blood cell with a mouth-shaped appearance, commonly associated with liver disease or hereditary stomatocytosis.

Burr cell

A type of red blood cell with multiple spiky projections, often seen in uremia or other conditions affecting the kidney.

Howell Jolly body

A small, round inclusion in red blood cells that represents nuclear remnants, commonly seen in patients without a spleen or with certain types of anemias.

Pappenheimer body

Erythrocytic particle inclusions containing iron deposits, which are often associated with sideroblastic anemia and other conditions.

Splenectomy

The surgical removal of the spleen, often performed to treat various medical conditions, can lead to immunocompromised status.

Basophilic stippling

The presence of small, basophilic granules in red blood cells, indicative of disrupted erythropoiesis, is often associated with lead poisoning or thalassemia.

Diffuse basophilia

A condition characterized by the presence of basophilic stippling in red blood cells, often linked to lead poisoning or certain hematological disorders.

Punctate basophilia

The presence of small, punctate basophilic granules in red blood cells is often associated with conditions like lead poisoning or anemia.

Heinz body

Aggregation of denatured hemoglobin in red blood cells is typically associated with oxidative stress or certain hemolytic anemias.

Bite (blister) cell

A type of red blood cell that has a characteristic loss of membrane, often resembling a bite taken out of it, is typically associated with oxidative damage and the presence of Heinz bodies.

Cabot ring

Ring-shaped structures found in red blood cells are often associated with conditions like lead poisoning or megaloblastic anemia.

Mitotic spindle

A structure that separates chromosomes during cell division.

Plasmodium

A genus of unicellular parasites that causes malaria in humans and other animals, transmitted by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Schizont

A stage in the life cycle of the Plasmodium parasite, where the organism undergoes asexual reproduction in red blood cells, ultimately leading to the release of merozoites.

Gametocyte

The sexual stage of the Plasmodium parasite, formed from asexual reproduction, is taken up by mosquitoes to continue the life cycle.

Malarial ring

The initial stage of Plasmodium infection in erythrocytes is characterized by the parasite's entry into red blood cells.

Siderocyte

An erythrocyte that contains iron granules, often seen in conditions of iron overload or certain anemias.

Spirochete

A genus of bacteria that is characterized by its spiral shape and moves in a corkscrew motion. They are known to cause diseases such as syphilis and Lyme disease.