Hematology and Red Blood Cell Maturation

Vocabulary flashcards covering red blood cell development stages, membrane structure, cytokines, and staining techniques from the lecture notes.

CMP (Common Myeloid Progenitor)

A progenitor cell branch in the bone marrow that gives rise to red blood cells, platelets, and all white blood cells except lymphocytes.

CLP (Common Lymphoid Progenitor)

A progenitor cell branch in the bone marrow that gives rise specifically to lymphocytes.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

A hormone or cytokine that signals the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.

Pronormoblast

The first and most immature stage of red blood cell development, characterized by a large cell size and a high nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio of 6:1.

Basophilic normoblast

The second developmental stage of red blood cells, featuring blue cytoplasm and chromatin that is beginning to condense.

Polychromatophilic normoblast

The third stage of red blood cell maturation where hemoglobin synthesis begins and the nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio decreases.

Orthochromatic normoblast

The fourth stage of red blood cell maturation, also referred to as a nucleated red blood cell, where hemoglobin begins to accumulate.

Reticulocyte

The fifth developmental stage of red blood cells, also called a polychromatic macrocyte, containing residual RNA visible only via supravital staining.

Wright-Giemsa stain

The conventional hematology stain used routinely for blood slides.

New methylene blue

A supravital stain used to visualize residual nuclear material and RNA inside reticulocytes.

Hemoglobin A1c test

A blood test used to monitor long-term sugar levels based on the 120-day lifespan of red blood cells.

Spectrin

Alpha and beta cytoskeletal proteins essential for maintaining the red blood cell structural integrity, elasticity, and membrane shape.

Deformability and elasticity

Key properties of mature red blood cells that allow them to navigate narrow vessels and endure circulatory pressures without lysing.

Glycophorin

Integral proteins (A, B, and C) located on the outer red blood cell membrane that function as antigen structures.