Irregularly spiculated cells with projections of varying length and dense center

Altered cell membrane lipids

Abetalipoproteinemia

Punctate basophilic inclusions

Precipitated ribosomes (RNA)

Lead intoxication, thalassemia, many anemias

Smooth semicircle taken from one edge

Heinz body "pitting" from spleen

G6PD deficiency, drug-induced oxidant hemolysis

Cells with short, evenly spaced spicules and preserved central pallor

May be associated with altered membrane lipids

Usually artifactual; uremia, bleeding ulcers, gastric carcinoma

Small, discrete basophilic dense inclusions; usually single

Nuclear remnant

Postsplenectomy, hemolytic anemia, megaloblastic anemia

Diminished hemoglobin synthesis

Iron deficiency anemia, thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia

Larger than 8.5 μm

Reticulocytes, abnormal cell DNA maturation

Increased erythropoiesis; oval macrocytes in megaloblastic anemia; round macrocytes in liver disease

Less than 7 μm

Abnormal hemoglobin production

Iron deficiency anemia, thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia

Small, dense basophilic granules

Iron-containing mitochondrial remnant or siderosome

Sideroblastic anemia, postsplenectomy