Transcription
Sometimes, stuff happens, and the red blood cells acquire an abnormal shape, with some projections. We call this a kind of sites, also known as burr cells. This is médicos is perfection, Alice. And let's continue talking about hematology. So let's get some etymology out of the way. A kind of sites, a.k.a., comes from a Greek word called "akenos," which means a hedgehog, like this one with spikes. Site means cell.
A kind of sites, also known as burr cells, are red blood cells with abnormal membranes. They have small, thorny projections at equal distance--very important--at equal distance. They are numerous; they are small. Do not confuse that with acanthocytes or spur cells. These have large projections, less numerous, and the interval or the distance between them are variable. Here, they are uniform, equal, nice. Here, they are very variable and haphazard.
A kind of sites are reversible, so that's good. But what are the causes of acanthocyte? So we have artifacts, such as EDTA. While preparing the blood, we put it in a test tube, but this blood can coagulate, which is not good. So we put some stuff in it so that it cannot coagulate. This can cause the red blood cell to become like this. Also, uremia--this is huge. If you'll remember anything from this lecture, remember that uremia has a kind of sites in the blood film or the peripheral smear. Also, pyruvate kinase deficiency. Yes, we have discussed this before, and it had a kind of sites or burr cells. Hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia, hemolytic anemia, and marathon runners--they run for a long distance; they can get a kind of sites in their blood at the end of the race.
A kind of sites and acanthocytes together are called speculated cells. Please don't forget, uremia, renal failure, has a kind of sites in the blood. I hope you have enjoyed this lecture about one of the speculated cells called a kind of sites or burr cells. Please consider subscribing; more videos are coming every single week. And please like my page on Facebook; I'm posting many questions and answers there. All right, I'll see you then.