Blood/Blood Cells and Cellular Components ›› Red Blood Cells ›› Abnormal
Sickle Cell*
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Microscopic Features:
About the same size as a normal RBC
Banana-shpaed RBC with two pointed ends
Usually forming the shape of a crescent or banana
Dense hemoglobin (dark red to light purple)
No central pallor
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Normal % blood-PB, marrow-BM, lymphoid tissue-LN:
PB: None
BM: None
LN: None
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May Resemble:
Schistocyte
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Ovalocyte (elliptocyte)
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Hemoglobin C crystals
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Malaria organisms (gametes outside of RBCs)
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Differential Diagnoses:
Hemoglobin SS disease
Hemoglobin SC disease
Hemoglobin SD disease
S-beta thalassemia
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Classic Immunophenotype:
N/A
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Cartoon Image:
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for direct comparison
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Misc:
An underlying mutation in the hemoglobin Beta chain (The hydrophilic residue Glutamate is replaced with the hydrophobic residue Valine) which leads to aggregation of the hemoglobin molecules which ultimately twists the RBC into a sickled shape
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Content Editors/Website Administrators:
Hooman H. Rashidi, MD; John C. Nguyen, MD