How Do You Spell SCHISTOCYTE?

1. A schistocyte is a term used in the field of medicine and hematology to describe an abnormal red blood cell (erythrocyte) that has an irregular shape and fragmented appearance. The word "schistocyte" is derived from the Greek words "schizo," meaning to split or divide, and "kytos," meaning cell.

   These irregularly shaped and fragmented red blood cells are characterized by their fragmented or helmet-like appearance under microscopic examination. Schistocytes are typically smaller than normal red blood cells and may exhibit varying shapes like triangles, crescents, or blunted projections. This distorted shape arises from the shearing forces exerted on the red blood cells when they pass through areas of increased turbulence or abnormal blood vessels.

   The presence of schistocytes in peripheral blood smears is often indicative of a medical condition known as microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. In this condition, the red blood cells are destroyed due to mechanical injury as they pass through narrow or damaged blood vessels, leading to their fragmentation. Conditions that may be associated with the presence of schistocytes include disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and various other pathological processes involving blood vessel abnormalities or blood clotting disorders.

   The identification and quantification of schistocytes in blood smears are essential for diagnosing and monitoring these underlying conditions, as well as assessing the severity of red blood cell fragmentation and associated hemolysis.

2. 1. Microcyte; it was so called by Ehrlich because it has the appearance of having been produced by budding from an ordinary red blood-cell. 2. A dividing or fragmented red blood-cell.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for SCHISTOCYTE

The word "schistocyte" is derived from two root words: "schistos" and "cyte".

The first part, "schistos", comes from the Greek word "skhistos" (σχιστός), which means "divided" or "split". This root is commonly used in scientific terminology to refer to things that are split, fragmented, or divided in some way.

The second part, "cyte", is derived from the Greek word "kytos" (κύτος), meaning "cell". It is also commonly used in scientific terminology to refer to various types of cells.

Combining these two roots, "schistocyte" literally means "split cell" or "fragmented cell". The term is primarily used in the field of hematology to describe a specific type of abnormal red blood cell that appears fragmented or broken.