Saint Mary’s University

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

ACTIVITY 8
HEMATOPOIEIS

Learning Objectives:

1. To recognize stages of erythropoiesis.

2. To recognize stages of granulopoiesis.
3. To identify megakaryocytes.

The student should bear in mind that the frequency of any given cell type or stage of
differentiation in the marrow is a complex function related to the relative frequency of
the cells in the blood, to the turnover time or half-life of the cell type in the circulation,
and to the maturation time of the cells in the marrow. The most frequent precursor
series is the erythroid cell series and the neutrophilic series is second.

Distinctions between the cells of the granulocytic series are based on nuclear
morphology and the size and staining properties of the granules. High magnification
is required for this type of determination. Criteria for evaluating cell type and stage of
maturation are as follows:

Size of the cell and its nucleus. In general, there is a gradual decrease in size of the
cell and its nucleus with maturation. However, remember that cells preparing to
undergo mitosis enlarge before division; so, depending on size alone can be
misleading. Also, some cells may be flattened out on the slide more than others
during preparation of the smear.

Appearance of the chromatin network in the nucleus. Immature cells have a delicate
fine meshed chromatin network. More mature cells have coarser, more condensed
chromatin.

Presence or absence of nucleoli. Nucleoli are visible as pale blue circular areas
within the chromatin network of immature cells.

Cytoplasmic basophilia. Very immature cells have pale blue cytoplasm, due to the
presence of only a few scattered ribosomes.

Specialized cell products. Accumulation of hemoglobin in erythroid cells, and the

appearance of granules and their type in granulocytes.

HISTOLOGY LABORATORY

Prepared by: Cindy May L. Calimlim

 Saint Mary’s University
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

Instructions: Draw the following blood cell differentiation. Note the difference in size
and color of each cell. Upload finished output at LMS as PDF.

HISTOLOGY LABORATORY

Prepared by: Cindy May L. Calimlim

 Saint Mary’s University
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND NATURAL SCIENCES

Guide Questions:

1. What is the functional significance of the cytoplasmic staining affinities of the

basophilic erythroblast, polychromatophilic erythroblast, normoblast and
erythrocyte?
2. Is the nucleus more intensely basophilic in an erythroblast or a normoblast?
What is the of these nuclear changes?
3. Differentiate biochemical composition of the cytoplasmic granules of
neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes), eosinophils, and basophils.
4. What is the origin of platelets?

HISTOLOGY LABORATORY

Prepared by: Cindy May L. Calimlim