- Elliptocytes are also called pencil cells, cigar cells, and ovalocytes. They are elongated and rod-shaped, often with a central area of biconcavity and pallor, with hemoglobin concentrations at the ends of the cells.
- They have normal osmotic fragility, except in hemolytic hereditary elliptocytosis when osmotic fragility is increased. They have abnormal membrane permeability.
- Rouleaux formation is normal. These cells are the predominant cells in hereditary elliptocytosis.
- Megaloblastic anemia is associated with abnormally large oval RBCs called macroovalocytes.
Clinical conditions :
- Hereditary elliptocytosis
- Iron deficiency anemia (IDA)
- Myelophthisic anemia
- Megaloblastic anemia
- Thalassemia
- Sideroblastic anemia
- Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia
- Anemia associated with leukemia
Elliptocytes
