#echinocytes

[rowanthecreature]

The goobers

(neutrophils, erythrocytes, acanthocytes, echinocytes)

[docsks]

#electronmicroscopy #redbloodcells #echinocytes #clinicalpathology #laboratorymedicine #hematology #bloodslide #booalizanjanlab #zanjan #iran https://www.instagram.com/p/B6RXzezoUwR/?igshid=1spuaq481a78c

[laboratorysciencereview]

Echinocytes

Also called burr cells. They are usually smaller than normal RBCs with regular, spine-like projections on their surface.

Echinocyte formation is reversible.

Burr cells are a common artifact found on stained blood smears because of the glass effect- glass releases basic substances which raise the pH of the medium surrounding the RBCs and promotes burr cell formation. To tell whether burr cells are because of the patient or because of outside factors, a wet prep can be done. Plasma provides a buffering system to RBCs, and if there are no burr cells with the wet prep, the cell abnormality occurred because of an in vitro event.

Burr cells also occur frequently in blood stored at 4 degrees C for several days. Patients receiving a transfusion might display burr cells immediately following transfusion, but this goes away after a few hours and the cells resume normal discoid shapes.

These cells retain their central pallor.

Clinical conditions:

slow drying in high humidity

renal insufficiency

Pyruvate kinase deficiency

stored blood for a couple of weeks at 4 degrees C

Severe dehydration

Burns

stomach cancer

heparin therapy

peptic ulcers