Question
In which of the following cases the blood smear of a patient shows the presance of cells as marked by a “red arrow” below?
A. Abetalipoproteinemia
B. G6PD deficiency.
C. Sickle Cell Anemia
D. None of the above.
Show Answer
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Correct Answer » A
Explanation
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The cells marked by a red arrow in the blood smear of a patient given above are Acanthocytes (Spur Cell).
Ans: A. Abetalipoproteinemia
Acanthocytes
- Acanthocyte(also called spur cells) refers to a form of red blood cell that has a spiked cell membrane, due to abnormal thorny projections.
- They have coarse, weirdly spaced, variably sized crenations, resembling many-pointed stars.
Seen in conditions like :
- Abetalipoproteinemia,liver disease, chorea acanthocytosis, McLeod syndrome, and several inherited neurological and other disorders, such as neuroacanthocytosis,anorexia nervosa, infantile pyknocytosis, hypothyroidism, idiopathic neonatal hepatitis, alcoholism, congestive splenomegaly, Zieve syndrome, and chronic granulomatous disease.
- Acanthocytes should be distinguished from echinocytes(called ‘burr cells’), which although crenated are dissimilar in that they have multiple, small, projecting spiculations at regular intervals on the cell membrane.
Acanthocytes should also be distinguished from keratocytes, also called ‘horn cells’ which have a few very large protuberances.
