– Slightly larger than normal mature RBCs
– Lacks a nucleus
– Cytoplasm is grayish-orange in color
– It’s called a Reticulocyte when the precipitated RNA can be highlighted with supravital stain
Increased in:
- Newborns
- In response to certain anemias (e.g. hemolytic anemia)
- In response to acute blood loss
- In response to a recovering marrow (post therapy)
- Reactive Erythroid hyperplasia
- Post-erythropoietin therapy
- Polycythemia Vera
Polychromatophilic RBC
Reticulocyte with Giemsa stain above and supra vital stain below
