Blood cells reticulocytes, the norm of which varies due to many factors, are unformed forms of red blood cells, and you can detect them in the composition of the bone marrow and peripheral blood. As a rule, the reticulocytes in the blood mature in three to five days, and then these cells turn into already mature red blood cells. Moreover, the number of unformed red blood cells in newborn infants is significantly greater than in adults.
Detection of reticulocytes :
Identifying reticulocytes, the norm of which is determined using a special table, you need to take into account their differences from mature red blood cells. In this variety of blood cells, either the whole nucleus is contained, or its residues are observed as part of a granular-filamentous substance. To determine the number of such cells, it is necessary to study the color of the blood smear in the laboratory. To do this, use a blue diamond solution, which is applied to defatted and previously washed glass, and then a smear is done.
When reticulocytes are detected, the norm of which is different, immediately after the smear, the glass used should be placed in a Petri dish - a special moist chamber, then allowed to stand for five minutes, dry thoroughly in fresh air, and then microscope. Moreover, the substance of the granular-filamentous type inside the reticulocyte is usually colored in a violet-blue hue, and the background of red blood cells is highlighted due to a bluish-green hue.
If the Gel-Meyer method is used, the color of unripe blood cells can be seen much better, but this requires a Vidal test tube. In this vessel, a couple of drops of blood are mixed with a diamond solution and sodium chloride, then the test tube is closed with a lid, and the smear itself is performed after an hour.
Reticulocyte count :
When calculating the number of unripe blood cells, you need to take 1000 red blood cells as a basis, and then consider reticulocytes, the norm of which usually varies at the level of 0.2% -1.2% of the number of adult red blood cells. On average, in most people, the number of unripe red blood cells is usually 0.7% of the total number of fully matured blood cells. If the number of reticulocytes is higher than the maximum permissible norm by 10% or more, a person develops reticulocytosis - a disease accompanied by regular acute bleeding and hemolytic anemia.
When counting reticulocytes (the norm in children is usually high), it is worth watching that their number does not exceed the limit values characteristic of adults. The standards also depend on gender, since in women 2.07% of immature red blood cells are still considered an acceptable parameter, and in men this indicator should not exceed 1.92%.
In cases where the level of reticulocytes is significantly increased, this indicates the presence of such disorders in the body as malaria and thalassemia, polycythemia and hypoxia, anemia, all kinds of hemolytic syndromes, but such indicators are also possible in the treatment of cyancobalamin. If the level of immature red blood cells is lowered, a person may experience aplastic and hypoplastic anemia, all kinds of diseases of the kidneys and myxedema, as well as the spread of tumor metastases to the bones.
To diagnose the severity of anemia, it is necessary to calculate the “reticulocyte index”, which is calculated as the ratio of the percentage of reticulocytes and normal hematocrit values multiplied by the number of days required for the passage of unripe cells into the peripheral blood. If the resulting index does not exceed two, the indicator indicates a hypoproliferative component of anemia, and in case of excess two - shows the likelihood of increased formation of red blood cells.