Elliptocyte

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Elliptocyte

Elliptocyte (pronounced: eh-lip-toe-site) is a type of red blood cell that has an elliptical shape. The term is derived from the Greek words "ellipse" meaning oval and "kytos" meaning cell.

Definition

An Elliptocyte is a type of RBC that is oval or elliptical in shape, as opposed to the typical biconcave disc shape of most RBCs. This abnormal shape is often associated with various types of anemia, particularly hereditary elliptocytosis.

Etymology

The term Elliptocyte is derived from the Greek words "ellipse" (meaning oval) and "kytos" (meaning cell). It was first used in the medical field in the mid-20th century to describe the elliptical shape of certain red blood cells.

Related Terms

  • Anemia: A condition in which the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues.
  • Hereditary Elliptocytosis: A genetic disorder characterized by elliptically shaped red blood cells and varying degrees of hemolytic anemia.
  • RBC: The blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.

See Also

References

External links

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