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Cells Series

  • Page ID
    70224

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    Cell Series.png

    Erythrocytic (RBC) Series

    Rubriblast (Pronormoblast)

    • Cell size 14-19 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1
    • Round central nucleus
    • Red-purple finely stippled, granular chromatin, fine lace-like
    • 0-2 nucleoli
    • Very basophilic cytoplasm
    • No cytoplasmic granules

    Rubriblast \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Prorubricyte (Basophilic Normoblast)

    • Cell size 12 - 15 microns
    • N/C ratio 3:1
    • Round central nucleus
    • Increased granularity of nuclear chromatin (more distinct parachromatin)
    • Usually no nucleoli
    • Basophilic cytoplasm
    • No cytoplasmic granules

    Prorubricyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Rubricyte (Polychromatophilic Normoblast)

    • Cell size 10 - 15 microns
    • N/C ratio 2:1
    • Round central nucleus
    • Smaller nucleus with increased condensation of chromatin, very coarse chromatin pattern(distinct parachromatin)
    • No nucleoli
    • Moderate polychromatophilic cytoplasm -may contain areas of pink hemoglobin near nucleus
    • No cytoplasmic granules

    Rubricyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

     

    Metarubricyte (Orthochromatic Normoblast)

    • Cell size 8 - 12 microns
    • N/C ratio 1:1
    • Round central nucleus
    • Smaller nucleus with pyknotic degeneration, condensed chromatin, no discernible parachromatin (nucleus is solid)
    • No nucleoli
    • Moderate cytoplasm, lavender - pink due to hemoglobin
    • No cytoplasmic granules

    Metarubricyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Reticulocyte (Polychromatophilic Erythrocyte)

    • Cell size 7 - 10 microns
    • Nucleus absent
    • Clear lavender - pink cytoplasm (polychromatophilic). 
    • Lacks central pallor
    • No cytoplasmic granules

    Reticulocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

    Retic (Supravital Stain) \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

     

    Mature Erythrocyte

    • Cell size 6-8 microns
    • Clear pink cytoplasm
    • Central pallor 1/3 of cell diameter
    • No cytoplasmic granules

    Mature RBC\(\PageIndex{}\)

    Myelocytic Series

    Myeloblast

    • Cell size:  12-20 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1
    • Round-oval nucleus, “boxy rounded refrigerator corners”
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Light red-purple fine meshwork chromatin with no aggregation of material
    • 1-5 nucleoli
    • Scanty basophilic cytoplasm
    • No granules
    • May contain Auer rods

    Myeloblast \(\PageIndex{}\)

    Myeloblast with Auer Rod(s) \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

     

    Promyelocyte

    • Cell size:  15-23 microns
    • N/C ratio 3:1
    • Round-oval nucleus,
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Light red-purple fine meshwork chromatin, possibly slight aggregation at nuclear membrane
    • 1-3 nucleoli
    • Basophilic cytoplasm (may be slightly increased over blast)
    • Coarse azurophilic nonspecific (primary) granules
    • May contain Auer rods

    Promyelocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Myelocyte

    • Cell size:  10-18 microns
    • N/C ratio 2:1 or 1:1
    • More round-oval nucleus
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Red-purple fine chromatin with slightly aggregated pattern
    • May or may not have nucleoli
    • Moderate bluish - pink cytoplasm
    • Nonspecific (primary) and specific (secondary) granules

    Myelocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Metamyelocyte

    • Cell size:  10-18 microns
    • N/C ratio 1:1
    • Indented (kidney shaped) nucleus
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Light blue-purple with chromatin clumps easily distinguishable
    • No nucleoli
    • Moderate bluish - pink cytoplasm (occasionally clear pink)
    • Specific (secondary) granules, (few non-specific granules)

    Metamyelocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Band Neutrophil

    • Cell size:  10-16 microns
    • N/C ratio 1:1
    • Elongated narrow band shape of uniform thickness, singular lobe
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Deep blue-purple coarsely granular nuclear chromatin (distinct parachromatin)
    • No nucleoli
    • Abundant pink cytoplasm
    • Fine violet-pink specific granules

    Band \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Segmented Neutrophil (PMN)

    • Cell size:  10-16 microns
    • N/C ratio 1:1
    • 2-5 distinct nuclear lobes (filament connecting lobes)
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Deep blue-purple coarsely granular nuclear chromatin (distinct parachromatin)
    • No nucleoli
    • Abundant pink cytoplasm
    • Fine violet-pink specific granules

    PMN \(\PageIndex{}\)

    Monocytic Series

    Monoblast

    • Cell size:  12-20 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1
    • Round-oval, or slightly folded nucleus
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Pale red-purple, minimal, fine thready chromatin
    • Usually 1-2 nucleoli
    • Moderate basophilic cytoplasm, regular border
    • No granules
    • May contain Auer rods

    Monoblast \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Promonocyte

    • Cell size:  10-16 microns
    • N/C ratio 3:1 or 2:1
    • Round nucleus with chromatin creases or cerebriform folding more distinct
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Pale red-purple, very fine pattern, (aerated network of threads)
    • 0-2 nucleoli
    • Paler opaque gray-blue cytoplasm, more abundant, may see pseudopodia and vacuoles
    • Contains very fine red dust-like granules

    Promonocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Monocyte

    • Cell size:  12-20 microns
    • N/C ratio 2:1 or 1:1
    • Cerebriform or horseshoe shaped nucleus
    • Central nucleus
    • Blue-purple, fine reticular nuclear chromatin (less distinct parachromatin)
    • 0-2 Nucleoli
    • Abundant pale gray-blue cytoplasm
    • May see pseudopodia and vacuoles
    • More numerous very fine (dust like) red granules evenly dispersed

    Monocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

    Lymphocytic Series

    Lymphoblast

    • Cell size:  10-20 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1
    • Round or oval nucleus
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Undifferentiated sparse red purple chromatin
    • 1-2 indistinct nucleoli
    • Scanty, often nearly absent, clear basophilic cytoplasm
    • No granules

    Lymphoblast \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Prolymphocyte

    • Cell size:  9 - 18 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1 (occasionally 3:1)
    • Round or oval and flat nucleus
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Combination of condensed clumped blue-purple chromatin with red-purple parachromatin
    • 0-1 very distinct nucleoli
    • Often scanty, but visible clear basophilic cytoplasm
    • No granules

    Prolymphocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Lymphocyte

    • Cell size:  7-18 microns (usually 9-12)
    • N/C ratio 4:1 (occasionally 3:1)
    • Round or indented nucleus
    • Eccentric nucleus often with scanty cytoplasm
    • Homogeneous, coarse blue-purple nuclear chromatin (smudged)
    • Nucleoli usually absent, rarely one seen in mature forms
    • Light to dark blue cytoplasm, scanty to moderate
    • Occasionally a few azurophilic granules seen

    Lymphocyte \(\PageIndex{}\)

     

    Plasmacytoid Lymphocyte

    • Activated B- Lymph
    • Generally considered a lymph transitioning to a plasma cell
    • Slightly larger with darker royal blue cytoplasm and more heavily clumped chromatin
    • May lack very eccentric nucleus and well developed golgi of plasma cell

    Plasmacytoid Lymph \(\PageIndex{1}\)

     

    Plasma Cell

    • Cell size:  8 - 20 microns
    • N/C ratio 2:1 or 1:1
    • Round or oval nucleus
    • Usually eccentric nucleus
    • Blue - purple, dense chromatin with large clumps near nuclear margin
    • No nucleoli
    • Moderate, basophilic cytoplasm
    • perinuclear clear zone adjacent to nucleus
    • May contain vacuoles
    • No granules
    • May see Russell Bodies

    Plasma Cell \(\PageIndex{}\)

    Thrombocytic (Platelet) Series

    Megakaryoblast

    • Cell size:  15 - 50 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1
    • Usually single round, oval or kidney shaped nucleus (rarely multinucleated)
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Red- purple, fine chromatin with distinct “smudged” clumps
    • 1-5 nucleoli
    • Varying shades of blue, amount varies from small to abundant with pseudopodia frequently
    • Usually no granules

    Awaiting Images.png

     

    Promegakaryocyte

    • Cell size:  20-80 microns
    • N/C ratio 4:1 to 1:1
    • Usually  2 - 4 or 8 nuclear lobes
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Red- purple, increased granularity of nuclear chromatin
    • Usually less nucleoli then blast
    • Usually abundant cytoplasm with pseudopodia, usually basophilic, but paler as maturity approaches
    • Fine azurophilic granules most adjacent to the nucleus

    Awaiting Images.png

     

    Megakaryocyte

    • Cell size:  35 - 160 microns
    • N/C ratio 1:2 to 1:3
    • Usually 8 nuclear lobes (2 or more, but may have 16 or 32)
    • Central or eccentric nucleus
    • Blue - purple, granular chromatin
    • No nucleoli
    • Abundant pale blue (with pink cast)
    • May exhibit pseudopodia and shedding platelets
    • Numerous fine azurophilic granules, evenly distributed

    Megakaryocyte \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    Megakaryocyte \(\PageIndex{2}\)

     

     

    Platelet

    • Cell size:  2-4 um
    • Light blue, fragment of megakaryocyte cytoplasm
    • Evenly dispersed, fine red-purple granules

    Platelet \(\PageIndex{}\)


    This page titled Cells Series is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Dawn Taylor, Kristin Whitman, and Caroline Doty.

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