Abnormal RBC Morphology

With Causes and Associated Disease States for CLSC 440 and 440L

Acanthocyte

Altered lipids in cell membrane

Abetalipoproteinemia, liver disease

Basophilic Stippling

Precipitated RNA

Lead poisoning, thalassemia, other anemias

Cabot Ring

Nuclear Remnant

Megaloblastic/hemolytic anemia, postsplenectomy

Codocyte

Increased Membrane redundancy

Liver disease, hemoglobinopathy, postsplenectomy

Dacryocyte

Myelofibrosis

Drepanocyte

Molecular aggregation of Hgb S

Sickle cell anemia

Echinocyte

Altered membrane lipids or crenation

Uremia, bleeding ulcer, gastric carcinoma, artifact (due to collection/preparation)

Ovalocyte

Abnormal cytoskeletal proteins

Hereditary, iron deficiency, other anemias

Keratocyte

Heinz body pitting, induced oxidant hemolysis

G6PD deficiency, intravascular fibrin strands

Howell-Jolly Body

DNA nuclear remnant

megaloblastic + other anemias, postsplenectomy

Pappenheimer body

IRON siderosomes / mt remnant

Sideroblastic anemia, postsplenectomy

Rouleaux

Circulating paraprotein that coats RBCs

(paraproteinemia)

Schistocyte

Mechanical destruction or turbulent blood flow

Microangiopathic anemia, prosthetic heart valves, severe burns

Spherocyte

Decreased membrane redundancy

hereditary, immunohemolytic anemia

Stomatocyte

Abnormal cation permeability

Hereditary, liver disease, possible artifact.