acanthocyte
9.9
An abnormal red blood cell with spiky projections seen in some illnesses
- noun
- /əˈkænθəˌsaɪt/
- Specialized
:
acantocito
- The laboratory results revealed a high number of acanthocytes, suggesting a possible diagnosis of liver disorder.
Examples
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In patients with abetalipoproteinemia, blood smears frequently display acanthocytes among normal red blood cells.
-
Blood shows preponderance of acanthocytes indicative of severe hemolysis.
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The presence of acanthocytes in the blood sample raised concerns for the doctor about the patient's overall health.
Surface Forms
acanthocyte singular
acanthocytes plural
Morphology
acanthocyte = cyte (opaque) = acanth + cyte
The roots 'acanth' and 'cyte' are not standalone English words, and their meanings are not transparent to the average learner.
Etymology
Acanthocyte comes from the Greek word acantha meaning 'thorn' and the ending -cyte meaning 'cell', so it literally means a 'thorny cell'. That's why an acanthocyte is a red blood cell with spiky projections often seen in some medical conditions.
