Poikilocytosis
Poikilocytosis | |
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Acanthocytosis is one form of poikilocytosis |
Poikilocytosis is variation in cell shape: poikilocytes may be oval, teardrop-shaped, sickle-shaped or irregularly contracted.
Normal red blood cells are round, flattened disks that are thinner in the middle than at the edges. A poikilocyte is an abnormally shaped cell.[1] Generally, poikilocytosis can refer to an increase in abnormal red blood cells of any shape where they make up 10% or more of the total population.
Types[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Poikilocytes.jpg/220px-Poikilocytes.jpg)
Membrane abnormalities[]
- Acanthocytes or Spur/Spike cells
- Codocytes or Target cells
- Echinocytes and Burr cells
- Elliptocytes and Ovalocytes
- Spherocytes
- Stomatocytes or Mouth cells
- Drepanocytes or Sickle Cells
- Degmacytes or "bite cells"
Trauma[]
- Dacrocytes or Teardrop Cells
- Keratocytes
- and
- Schistocytes
Diagnosis[]
Poikilocytosis may be diagnosed with a test called a blood smear. During a blood smear, a medical technologist spreads a thin layer of blood on a microscope slide and stains the blood to help differentiate the cells. The technologist then views the blood under a microscope, where the sizes and shapes of the red blood cells can be seen.[2]
Treatment[]
In all cases, the treatment of poikilocytosis depends on its cause. For example, poikilocytosis can be caused by a vitamin deficiency (e.g. vitamin B12, folic acid), in which case the treatment is to replenish the deficient vitamin. It can be caused by a digestive disease, such as celiac disease, in which case the solution may lie in treating the underlying celiac disease so that nutrients can be properly absorbed.[citation needed]
Etymology[]
The term derives from poikilos (ποικίλος), which means "varied" in Ancient Greek.[3][4]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Barbara J. Bain (2006). Blood cells: a practical guide. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 71–. ISBN 978-1-4051-4265-6. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ Ford, J. (June 2013). "Red blood cell morphology". International Journal of Laboratory Hematology. 35 (3): 351–357. doi:10.1111/ijlh.12082.
- ^ (in Greek) Triantafyllidis Online Lexicon, ποικιλόθερμος, Retrieved on 2007-01-12
- ^ "poikilo-". Wiktionary. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
External links[]
Classification |
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- Red blood cell disorders
- Abnormal clinical and laboratory findings for RBCs