In a peripheral blood smear, what condition reflects abnormal cell shape?

The condition characterized by abnormal cell shape in a peripheral blood smear is poikilocytosis. Poikilocytosis refers to the presence of red blood cells (RBCs) that have various shapes, deviating from the typical biconcave disc form. This phenomenon can result from several underlying health issues, such as certain types of anemia, bone marrow disorders, or other conditions that affect red blood cell production and morphology.

In poikilocytosis, one might see elongated, tear-shaped, or irregularly shaped red cells, each indicating different pathophysiological mechanisms. Identifying these abnormalities plays a crucial role in making accurate diagnoses and managing hematological disorders.

While anisocytosis refers to a variation in cell size, hypochromia describes a reduced hemoglobin concentration leading to lighter color, and the term normocytic indicates cells that are of normal size. These conditions may all be relevant to red blood cell pathology but do not specifically refer to shape abnormalities. Thus, the recognition of poikilocytosis, which directly highlights abnormal cell shapes, is essential in the evaluation of peripheral blood smears.