Codocytes

&
Leptocytes
Denzo, Irish Jean E.
Sarabia, Wencimar F.
Any abnormally-shaped RBC is called
POIKILOCYTE

POIKILOCYTOSIS ANISOCYTOSIS

Abnormal shape Unequal size

CODOCYTE
➔ Poikilocyte
➔ Thin-walled cells showing a darkly-stained center area of hemoglobin, which has
been separated from the peripheral ring of hemoglobin.

OTHER NAMES
➔ “Target cell”
➔ “Mexican Hat cell”
➔ “Sombrero cell”
➔ Bell-shaped appearance
➔ Cup-shaped appearance
➔ Leptocytes
 LEPTOCYTE
Leptocytes are target cells that are pale-staining with hemoglobin
confined to a thin, flat, cell membrane
● Greek: lepto “ thin, narrow”
● Aka. WAFER CELLS
● Volume: 90 uL
● Size: 8.5 u
● Shape: Center and the periphery are colored and separated by a clear ring so, it has
the appearance of a target/ bull’s eye
● Thinner variant of codocyte; hypochromic
● Antithesis of spherocyte
● Causes pseudomacrocytosis in the blood film
 Disease Association
01 03
Hemoglobinopathies
Liver Disease (LCAT)
& Thalassemia
HbC
Alpha & Beta- Thassalemia

02 04
Post-splenectomy Some Cases:
Iron deficiency anemia,
sickle cell anemia, lead
poisoning
01 LIVER DISEASE
★ Lecithin—cholesterol
acyltransferase (LCAT)

- ↑↑ surface/volume ratio =

INCREASED CHOLESTEROL
02 POST-SPLENECTOMY
★ Abnormal or absent of
splenic macrophage

↑↑ Target Cells

● Autosplenectomy
● Asplenia
03 Thalassemia
Alpha-thalassemia &
Beta-thalassemia

● a-thalassemias- involve the genes for the a1 and a2

chains on chromosome 16.
● b-thalassemias-include all the disorders of reduced
globin chain production arising from the b-globin gene 1. A reduced or absent
cluster on chromosome 11. production of a particular
● RBCs in thalassemia minor are microcytic and globin chain
hypochromic 2. An unequal production of
the a- or b-globin chains
GENETIC DEFECTS CAUSING THALASSEMIA
- Reduced or absent transcription of mRNA
- mRNA processing errors
- Translation errors
- Deletion of 1 or more globin
03 Hemoglobinopathies
HbC
● Hemoglobin C
● discovered by Harvey Itano and
James V. Neel in 1950 from two
African-American families
● Most common non-sickling varient
encountered
● Produces sickle cell trait
● glutamic acid residue at the 6th
position of the β-globin chain is
replaced with a lysine residue due to
a point mutation in the HBB gene.
04 Hemoglobinopathies
Sickle Cell Anemia

● Hemoglobin S/homozygous S
hemoglobin
● first described by Herrick in 1910
● beta subunit has the amino acid
valine at position 6 instead of the
glutamic acid that is normally
present.
● Normochromic and normal
volume
04
Disorder in Iron
Kinetics
Iron- deficiency anemia

● Lack of iron
*CAUSES:
1. Inadequate intake
2. Increase need
3. inability to absorb iron
4. Chronic blood loss
Thank you!