DIC Leucocytes

[discomorphella]

Here are some shots of a Wright's stained blood smear. You can see the eosinophillic granules (red bumps) in the eosinophils in both pictures, and details in the nucleus of the monocyte (larger leucocyte on the left in the first picture). DIC helps bring out the cytoplasmic granules, its a useful technique for stained as well as unstained (live) cells. The lower eosinophil is surrounded by a rosette of erythrocytes (red blood cells) purely due to an artifact of making the smear (but it looks cool). Background correction not applied (mostly because I was too absent-minded to take a blank shot).
Sample and scope conditions: Human peripheral blood film, fixed in methanol, stained with Wright's stain with pH 6.4 Phosphate buffer.
Leitz orthoplan, 100X / 1.32 NPL Fluotar ICT objective, 10X Periplan GW used as relay to 5 MPxl Kodak camera

--David

[rjlittlefield]

Interesting pictures!

Obviously it's been too long since I've looked at blood. I'm surprised in the second image that the red cells have apparently changed so far from their usual filled-torus shape. You mention that the clumping is an artifact of making the smear. Is the shape change part of the artifact too?

BTW, thanks for the detailed technical info. It adds a lot to the value of the pictures in the archive, after memories have faded.

--Rik

[discomorphella]

Thanks Rik--

I think the eosinophil / erythrocyte rosette is most likely a result of drying in a very sparse part of the blood film. The erythrocytes were all fortuitously clumped around the larger eosinophil, and when they dried they were held in place (most likely by surface tension) and their usual shape was distorted. I do need to get a better camera setup, the DIC effect on the granules is startling when you are looking at it through the eyepieces, and I'm not satisfied with the pictures yet, but decided to post them since they're pretty interesting even if a bit grainy.

--David