What causes oval red blood cells?
Hereditary ovalocytosis is a rare condition passed down through families (inherited). The blood cells are oval-shaped instead of round. It is a form of hereditary elliptocytosis. Red blood cells (RBCs) are normally round.
What causes Elliptocytosis?
Hereditary elliptocytosis is caused by a genetic change in either the EPB41, SPTA1, or SPTB gene , and is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Hereditary pyropoikilocytosis is a related condition with more serious symptoms, and is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.
Is Poikilocytosis a cancer?
Poikilocytes typically develop due to an underlying medical condition that alters their shape. Examples include certain types of anemia, liver disease, kidney disease, and cancer. Poikilocytosis itself is not a fatal condition, but it indicates an underlying medical condition.
What does abnormal shaped red blood cells mean?
RBCs carry oxygen and nutrients to your body’s tissues and organs. If your RBCs are irregularly shaped, they may not be able to carry enough oxygen. Poikilocytosis is usually caused by another medical condition, such as anemia, liver disease, alcoholism, or an inherited blood disorder.
What causes pencil cells?
Elliptocytes may be increased in iron deficiency anemia (where they are sometimes referred to as “pencil cells”) and marrow infiltrative processes (with teardrop cells). In hereditary elliptocytosis, caused by a red cell membrane structural defect, at least 25% of red cells are elliptocytes.
What do smudge cells indicate?
Smudge cells are remnants of cells that lack any identifiable cytoplasmic membrane or nuclear structure. Smudge cells, also called basket cells, are most often associated with abnormally fragile lymphocytes in disorders such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
What are pencil cells?
Cigar cells (also referred to as pencil cells) are red blood cells that are cigar- or pencil-shaped on peripheral blood smear. However, they may also be seen in iron deficiency anemia, sepsis, malaria and other pathological states that decrease red blood cell turnover and or production.
What does slight Poikilocytosis mean?
Poikilocytosis means that there are red blood cells of varying shapes on your blood smear. Results from a blood smear can also find mild anisopoikilocytosis. This means that the amount of red blood cells showing varying sizes and shapes is more moderate.
What causes the shape of red blood cells?
Anemia is a condition in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Types of anemia include: iron deficiency anemia, which is often easily treated. sickle cell anemia, which results in abnormally-shaped red blood cells that die quickly.
What are cigar shaped cells in red blood cells?
Cigar cells (also referred to as pencil cells) are red blood cells that are cigar or pencil shaped on Peripheral blood smear. Cigar cells are commonly associated with hereditary elliptocytosis. However, they may also be seen in iron deficiency anemia and other pathological states that decrease red blood cell turnover and or production.
How are Cigar cells related to iron deficiency anemia?
Cigar cells are commonly associated with hereditary elliptocytosis. However, they may also be seen in iron deficiency anemia, sepsis, malaria and other pathological states that decrease red blood cell turnover and or production. In the case of iron deficiency anemia, microcytosis and hypochromia would also be expected.
Can a pencil cell be a red cell?
Cells with greatly elongated form may arise in other conditions where there is very abnormal red cell morphology (e.g. a severe elliptocytosis or myelodysplasia), but these should not be described as pencil cells.
What causes an erythrocyte form in a pencil cell?
Generally, this erythrocyte form arises in the context of iron deficiency so will be accompanied by hypochromic and microcytic cells. Be aware of the less common causes and if features do not fit consider alternative interpretations of the cell.