Description:

Round shape. It has all characteristics as the normal reticulocyte except that it is larger.

Size:

10-13 µm.

Cytoplasm:

In panoptic staining the cytoplasm is blue-pink. Staining with brillant-cresyl blue the cytoplasm shows characteristic purple fibers, remnants of the endoplasmatyc reticulum.

Nucleus:

Absent.

Nucleoli

Not visible.

Clinical significance:

In untreated megaloblastic anemia the relative and absolute number of reticulocytes is smaller. The number of reticulocytes increases in the peripheral blood during the first 48 hours of the treatment. Maximal increase, in the form of reticulocytic crisis appears, between the 5th and 9th day after the beginning of vitamin B12 administration.