sideroblast

9.9

An immature red blood cell with small iron particles inside, often seen in some blood disorders

noun
/ˈsaɪdərəˌblæst/

Specialized

: sideroblasto

The presence of ringed sideroblasts in the bone marrow can indicate a type of anemia.

Examples

Doctors examined the patient's blood smear and identified abnormal sideroblasts.
In cases of anemia, the number of sideroblasts can increase significantly.
A hematologist may study sideroblast formation to diagnose certain blood disorders.
The sideroblast is a crucial component of blood cell development.
Doctors examined the patient's blood smear and identified abnormal sideroblasts which raised concerns about his health.
The presence of ringed sideroblasts in the bone marrow can indicate a type of anemia that requires further treatment.
A hematologist may study sideroblast formation to diagnose certain blood disorders and determine their causes.

Surface Forms

sideroblast singular

sideroblasts plural

Morphology

sideroblast = blast (opaque) = sidero + blast

The combining form 'sidero-' (meaning 'iron') is a specialized Greek medical combining form unfamiliar to average learners, and 'blast' in the sense 'immature cell' is technical, so the meaning is not guessable from common vocabulary.

Etymology

The word sideroblast comes from Greek parts sidero- 'iron' and -blast 'young cell'. So it literally means a young blood cell with iron inside, which is why doctors look for sideroblasts when they check for certain anemias.