Scanning Electron Microscope images of the Discocyte-Echinocyte Transformation of Red Blood Cells

A Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) Study of the Discocyte-Echinocyte Transformation made by Dr. Istvan Gyurkovics, Hungary in 1985. -The biconcave shape of human Red Blood Cells is well known, you can see several animations or pictures made by light microscopy and dark field microscopy on YouTube. The shape variations due to the reversible transformation of RBCs -seen in extravascular fluids- are far less presented. This "spiky" forms may represent the struggle of RBCs to survive in anaerob conditions, for they are exluded from the pulmonary capillary circulation and have no chance to take up oxigen molecules. The surfarce / mass ratio is increased and helps in gas exchange. Haematologist do not study red blood cells in in urine and saliva, etc. usually only in blood smears.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• red blood cells
• red blood cell shape
• shape
• discocyte-echinocyte
• transformation
• spherocytes
• spiculed
• spiky
• red
• blood
• cells
• scanning
• electron
• microscope
• microscopy

[cire254]

Hi, could please tell me the Magnification these micrographs were taken at they are amazing images and would it be possible to know how you prepared the sample prior to SEM images i have Bio-SEM course next semester and would like to view this phenomenon in my class and a link to your Research would be much appreciated.

Eric

[Accordioncrasy]

@cire254

This is not a secret.

For SEM you need to put a droplet of blood into approximately 1-3 ml of isotonic (0.9%) sodium-chloride solution.

YOU HAVE TO SMEAR A MICRO-DROPLET FROM THIS DILUTION on the little target glass of the SEM and let it dry out. At lowest degree of dilution you can found echinocytes at the highest spherocytes in the sample.

Istvan

[Accordioncrasy]

@cire254

Magnification about a group of cells was 2000x, about a single red blood cell up to 10 000x

Istvan

[koborlo27]

Hát...az Adagio az nagyon szép!!!Hogy másoknak is tetszett...elhiszem.

[Accordioncrasy]

@koborlo27

Ami tetszik szemnek vagy fülnek, azt lekoppintják!

István

[AccordionLadyMi]

Thank you for sharing this link. I do not understand it, but I admire your interest in this science. Very nice presentation Istvan. I did not even know this was on your channel and I see other videos I have missed. So I will take a look at those now. Have a good weekend. Fran

[Accordioncrasy]

@AccordionLadyMi

Thank Fran to have a look to my "private" medical research.

If you compare the number of visitors/ contra No. of comments, you can see, sometimes it does not matter, that my YT "friends will comment or not.

This video was downloaded and is permanently broadcasted by 20 different internet websites.

They have not "visitor counter" -so I have no idea, who and how many people have seen my 25 years old research.

Istvan

[Accordioncrasy]

@stefanogbt

Gracie mille Stephano,

This is a micro-world unvisible for the human naked eye.

Istvan

[stefanogbt]

Thanks Istvan for to shared me this fantastic video! A world into the microscope for me unknown. Fantastic with an appropriate music.

Have a good weekend.

Stefano

[Accordioncrasy]

@tamyk007

Hi Tam,

This issue should be interesting, because it has attracted more visitors, than my best and oldest mucic video. This subject was "stolen" by my first visitor immediately on the first week, he has made a video via ligth microscopy about the same phenomenon.

Istvan