Poikilocytosis Knowpia

Poikilocytosis
Poikilocytosis
	Examples of red blood cell types that can give rise to poikilocytosis.

Poikilocytosis is variation in the shapes of red blood cells. 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 red blood 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 of red blood cells.

Types edit

Human red blood cells showing poikilocytosis

Membrane abnormalities edit

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 edit

Dacrocytes or Teardrop Cells
Keratocytes
Microspherocytes and Pyropoikilocytes
Schistocytes
Semilunar bodies

Diagnosis edit

Poikilocytosis may be diagnosed with a test called a blood smear. During a blood smear, a medical technologist/clinical lab scientist spreads a thin layer of blood on a microscope slide and stains the blood to help differentiate the cells. The technologist/clinical lab scientist then views the blood under a microscope, where the sizes and shapes of the red blood cells can be seen.^[2]

Treatment edit

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 edit

The term derives from poikilos (ποικίλος), which means "varied" in Greek . ^[3]^[4]

References edit

^ 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. PMID 23480230.
^ (in Greek) Triantafyllidis Online Lexicon, ποικιλόθερμος, Retrieved on 2007-01-12
^ "poikilo-". Wiktionary. Retrieved 14 October 2011.

External links edit

[Bain2006-1] Barbara J. Bain (2006). Blood cells: a practical guide. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 71–. ISBN 978-1-4051-4265-6. Retrieved 10 November 2010.

[2] Ford, J. (June 2013). "Red blood cell morphology". International Journal of Laboratory Hematology. 35 (3): 351–357. doi:10.1111/ijlh.12082. PMID 23480230.

[TOL-3] (in Greek) Triantafyllidis Online Lexicon, ποικιλόθερμος, Retrieved on 2007-01-12

[4] "poikilo-". Wiktionary. Retrieved 14 October 2011.

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Summary