Avian Hematology Slides

Avian RBC maturation-The younger cells are smaller, rounder and

have a more basophilic cytoplasm. Mature erythrocytes are oval
with eosinophilic cytoplasm. The nuclear size decreases and the
amount of cytoplasm increases as the cell matures.
Polychromatic
(younger)
RBCs

Basophilic (even
younger)
erythroblast

Mature
erythrocytes

This is a very young red blood cell or basophilic erythroblast. Also

present are some polychromatic and mature erythrocytes.

Polychromatic
erythrocytes

Basophilic
erythroblast

Mature
erythrocytes

There is a definite increase in the number of young RBCs in this

field. This would indicate regenerative anemia. The body is
producing more red blood cells to replace a loss. If the number of
RBCs falls below the normal range it could be due to blood loss or
perhaps RBC destruction.

Here you see an anucleated RBC. The presence of a small

number of these cells has no pathological significance. Also note
the smudged RBC. Red blood cells are very fragile and are often
damaged when the slide is made.

RBC with no
nucleus
(anucleated)

Smudged RBC

These are typical avian white blood cells. The heterophil (on the
right) is round with round red granules in the clear cytoplasm. The
eosinophil is also round with a blue-gray cytoplasm and stains
more noticeably than the heterophil.

Eosinophil

Heterophil

This is another example of an avian eosinophil.

This is an example of a heterophil that is broken, revealing rodshaped, red granules.

This is an example of a basophil. The cell is round and contains a

nucleus that is light blue in color. It has a large number of deeply
basophilic-staining granules that almost cover the nucleus.

This field contains a heterophil (at top) and a lymphocyte. The

heterophil has rod-shaped granules. The lymphocyte is molded
around the adjacent cells. There is a high nuclear to cytoplasmic
ratio in the lymphocyte.

This is an example of a lymphocyte that has irregular cytoplasmic

projections, known as blebs.

Another lymph with blebs

This shows mature red cells, a young (polychromatic) red blood

cell and a lymphocyte. Note how the lymph is molded around the
adjacent RBCs.

Polychromatic
RBC

Lymphocyte

This blood is from a white-winged dove. Their lymphocytes have

granules in the cytoplasm.

Lymphocyte

This is a small lymphocyte showing very little cytoplasm.

This is a monocyte. Note the indented nucleus, and the abundant

amount of light blue cytoplasm. This helps to distinguish it from a
lymphocyte, which has a smaller proportion of cytoplasm.

Monocyte

This is another monocyte. The nucleus shows less indentation.

There is a greater amount of cytoplasm than you would see in a
lymphocyte.

Here you see a monocyte with an indented nucleus and some

vacuoles. Above it is a heterophil.

These are clumped thrombocytes. Note that they are small,

usually more rounded than RBCs, hand have clear cytoplasm.

Here is another thrombocyte.

Here we see a heterophil (left), a lymphocyte (center) and a

monocyte (right).

All of the hematology slides in this presentation were generously donated by Dr.
David Phalen, Associate Professor of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, Texas
A&M University.