Download Glossary P2 - Skills Commons

azurophilic - a term used to describe the reddish-purple staining characteristics of certain cells or cell
structures; having an affinity for azureyes
band- cell an immature granulocyte with a nonsegmented nucleus; a “stab cell”
basophil- a white blood cell containing basophilic-staining granules in the cytoplasm
basophilic- blue in color; having affinity for the basic stain
eosinophil- a white blood cell containing eosinophilic granules in the cytoplasm
erythrocyte- red blood cell; RBC
leukocyte- white blood cell; WBC
lymphocyte- a small basophilic-staining white blood cell having a round or oval nucleus and playing a
vital role in the immune process
megakaryocyte- a large bone marrow cell from which platelets are derived
monocyte- a large white blood cell usually having a convoluted or horseshoe-shaped nucleus
neutrophil- a white blood cell containing neutral-staining cytoplasmic granules and a segmented
nucleus; also called polymorphonuclear cell (PMN), poly, or seg
platelet- a formed element in circulating blood that plays an important role in blood coagulation; a
small diskshaped fragment of cytoplasm derived from a megakaryocyte; a thrombocyte
red blood cell (RBC)- blood cell that transports oxygen (O2) to tissues and carbon dioxide (CO2) to the
lungs; erythrocyte
vacuole - a membrane-bound compartment in cell cytoplasm
white blood cell (WBC)- blood cell that functions in immunity; leukocyte
anisocytosis- marked variation in the sizes of erythrocytes
atypical lymphocyte- lymphocyte that occurs in response to viral infections and that is common in
infectious mononucleosis; reactive lymphocyte
differential count- a determination of the relative numbers of each type of white blood cell when a
specified number (usually 100) is counted; white blood cell differential count; leukocyte differential
count
hypochromic- having reduced color or hemoglobin content
macrocytic- having a larger-than-normal cell size
microcytic- having a smaller-than-normal cell size
normochromic- having normal color
normocytic- having a normal cell size
phagocytosis- the engulfing of a foreign particle or cell by another cell
poikilocytosis- significant variation in the shape of red blood cells
reactive lymphocyte- see atypical lymphocyte
mean cell hemoglobin (MCH)- average red blood cell hemoglobin expressed in picograms (pg); mean
corpuscular hemoglobin
mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)- comparison of the weight of hemoglobin in a red blood
cell to the size of the red blood cell, expressed in percentage or grams per deciliter (g/dL); mean
corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
mean cell volume (MCV)- average red blood cell volume in a blood sample, expressed in femtoliters (fL)
or cubic microns (μ3); mean corpuscular volume
red blood cell indices- calculated values that compare the size and hemoglobin content of red blood
cells in a blood sample to reference values; erythrocyte indices
basophilia- abnormal increase in the number of basophils in the blood; basophilic leukocytosis; also,
the affinity of cellular structures for basophilic dyes
basophilic stippling- remnants of RNA and other basophilic nuclear material remaining inside the red
blood cell after the nucleus is lost from the cell; small purple granules in red blood cells stained with
Wright’s stain
blast cell- an immature blood cell normally found only in the bone marrow
codocyte- target cell
crenated cell- a shrunken red blood cell with scalloped or toothed margins
drepanocyte- sickle cell
elliptocyte- elongated, cigar-shaped red blood cell
eosinophilia- abnormal increase in the number of eosinophils in the blood
folic acid- a member of the B vitamin complex
Howell-Jolly body- nuclear remnant remaining in red blood cells after the nucleus is lost and commonly
seen in pernicious anemia and hemolytic anemias
Keratocyte- a red blood cell deformed by mechanical trauma
Leukemia- a cancer of white blood cells characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells and
their precursors in bone marrow, tissue, and peripheral blood
Neutrophilia- abnormal increase in the number of neutrophils in the blood
nucleated red blood cell (NRBC)- an immature red blood cell that has not yet lost its nucleus
red blood cell indices- calculated values that compare the size and hemoglobin content of red blood
cells in a blood sample to reference values; erythrocyte indices
schizocyte- a fragmented red blood cell; formerly called schistocyte
shift to the left- the appearance of an increased number of immature neutrophil forms in the
peripheral blood
sickle cell- crescent- or sickle-shaped red cell; drepanocyte
sickle cell disease- inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells can form a sickle shape because of
the presence of hemoglobin S
stomatocyte- red blood cell with an elongated, mouth-shaped central area of pallor
target cell- abnormal red blood cell with target appearance; codocyte
thalassemia- a genetic disorder involving underproduction of the globin chains of hemoglobin and
resulting in anemia
vitamin B12- a vitamin essential to the proper maturation of blood cells and other cells in the body
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