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Teardrop cells or Dacrocytes

Teardrop cells or Dacrocytes
#00060311
Author: Teresa Scordino
Category: Morphologic variants of normal cells > Morphologic variants of Red Blood Cells/precursors > Normal Red blood cell morphology with resting lymphocyte for comparison > Poikilocytosis > Teardrop (dacrocyte) cells
Published Date: 01/13/2016


•Teardrop cells (dacrocytes) are frequently associated with infiltration of the bone marrow by fibrosis, granulomatous inflammation, or hematopoietic or metastatic neoplasms.  They can also be seen in patients with splenic abnormalities, vitamin B12 deficiency, and some other forms of anemia.  True teardrop cells have blunted tips and point in different directions.  Teardrop cells that occur as an artifact of blood smear preparation have sharply pointed ends that point in the same direction.