Stomatocyte

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Stomatocytes (from the Greek stoma = mouth) are red blood cells ( erythrocytes ) with a central, slit-shaped or mouth-shaped lightening that is visible under the microscope .

The causes for these changes in shape are diverse. The expansion of the inner lamella of the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane seems to play an important role in the development of this slit-shaped central lightening . In addition to the occurrence of isolated stomatocytes in the blood smear of healthy people, there is also an increased occurrence ( stomatocytosis ) in certain secondary diseases and an inherited form. Stomatocytes can also appear as artifacts in thick areas of the blood smear.

The most common cause of stomatocytosis is alcohol intoxication or alcohol-related liver disease. In addition to the stomatocytes, there are also macrocytes . Another cause of the increased appearance of stomatocytes in the blood smear is hereditary (inherited) stomatocytosis . 10-30% of the stomatocytes are found in the blood smear. Hereditary stomatocytosis is a hemolytic anemia .

literature

  • BJ Bain, D. Huhn, Roche Basic Course in Hematological Morphology. Volume 7, Blackwell Wissenschaftsverlag, Berlin / Vienna 1997.
  • R. Mitschke: Interpretation of changes in the blood smear - 2. Erythrocytes and platelets. In: Fachpraxis. 49, 2006, pp. 14-20.