Heinz body Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Heinz body and links to relevant pages within the course.
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| Heinz body formation Heinz bodies are 1-3 um particles of denatured hemoglobin settling eccentrically, usually close to the red cell membrane. They are found in erythrocytes in unstable hemoglobin disorders, acute drug induced hemolysis, and following splenectomy. Their formation may be exaggerated by in-vitro incubation of a fresh blood sample with phenylhydrazine. Heinz bodies, as pictured here, are identified using a supra-vital stain, such as new methylene blue or cresyl violet. Bite cells, visible with Wright-Giemsa staining, are visual reminders that the spleen is functional and has pitted the aberrant chunk of hemoglobin from the circulating erythrocyte. | View Page |
| Schistocytes vs. bite cells Schistocyte is a general term for a fragmented red blood cell that may assume various shapes, some with horn-like projections (keratocytes), triangle-forms (triangulocytes), and helmet shapes, as illustrated in the upper photograph. Schistocytes are formed when erythrocytes are forced through a vessel blocked with interlacing fibrin strands and the red cells are sliced into fragments. True schistocytes are devoid of central pallor. These damaged cells continue to circulate while healing their torn edges. Finally, they are removed by the spleen. Bite cells (lower photograph) appear when an abnormal hemoglobin aggregate (Heinz body) is nibbled out of a red cell's cytoplasm by the spleen leaving a bitten apple appearance. Glucose 6-PD deficiency secondary to chemical poisoning or injury by oxidant drugs are settings for Heinz body formation, and the telltale bite cells remain as evidence. Hemolytic anemia associated with severe liver disease is another setting where bite cells are formed. | View Page |
| The underlying condition where the defective erythrocytes marked by arrows are of diagnostic importance is: | View Page |
| Conditions Causing Teardrop Cells Conditions in which teardrop cells can be found include myelofibrosis/myeloid metaplasia, bone marrow metastases, thalassemias, and anemias causing Heinz body formation. Dacryocytes are not diagnostically indicative of any specific condition. | View Page |