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Primary Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissue ›› Bone Marrow ›› Myeloid ›› Granulocytes & Precursors ›› Basophilic ›› Abnormal

Basophils (increased)

Basophils (increased)
Basophils (increased)
Basophils (increased)

Microscopic Features:

  • 2-3x larger than a mature RBC
  • Low nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio (more cytoplasm than nucleus)
  • Nucleus is mature and usually with 2-3 lobes connected by thin chromatin filament
  • Nucleoli are absent
  • More cytoplasm with only secondary granules
  • Secondary (specific) granules are Basophilic (blue-violet) and obscure the underlying nucleus

Normal % blood-PB, marrow-BM, lymphoid tissue-LN:

  • PB: Very Rare (5th most common WBC in blood, after neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and Eosinophils)
  • BM: Rare scattered
  • LN: None

May Resemble:

Differential Diagnoses:

Increased in:
CML accelerated phase
AML (rare variants)
Infection (e.g. varicella)
Hypersensitivity reactions (sometimes)

Classic Immunophenotype:

  • CD45dim+
  • Low SSC (Side light scatter)
  • CD11b+
  • CD13+
  • CD16-
  • CD15-

Cartoon Image:

Basophils (increased) cartoon
Click and dragRed blood cell for scalefor direct comparison

Misc:

Increased basophils may be associated with some myeloid neoplasms such as CML, or some infections or some hypersensitivity reactions