Hematological terminologies

Hematology (Haematology) – the study of blood. It involves the study of blood cells and
coagulation. It includes the study of diseases associated with the blood, as well as the
reaction of the formed elements to the presence of disease.
Agglutination – clumping of cells
Aggregation – in blood coagulation, it is the clumping of platelets together in the formation of a
platelet plug
Anisochromia – variation in hemoglobin content of red blood cells
Anisocytosis – increased variation in size of red blood cells
Anticoagulant – substance that prevents clot formation; in vivo, includes natural anticoagulants
such as Heparin, Antithrombin III, and Proteins C and S; ex vivo, substances that are added
to a blood sample that inhibit clot formation either by binding with calcium, precipitation of
calcium, inhibition of thrombin, or removal of fibrin
Apoptosis – programmed cell death; process of ordered removal of organelles and cells
Arterial tap – process of blood collection by accessing an artery
Basophil – white blood cell morphologically characterized by coarse blue-black granules that
obscure the view of the nucleus; involved mainly in mediating allergic response
Blast – early stage of differentiation of a blood cell as it transitions from stem cell to a mature
cell. It is normally confined to the bone marrow and is the earliest recognizable stage of a
blood cell using Light Microscopy.
Blood Film – aka Peripheral Blood Smear; a stained smear of a drop of blood that, when
viewed through a microscope, produces additional morphologic information about the blood
cells
Bone Marrow – soft tissue found inside hollow bones responsible for production of blood cells.
Cellularity – expression of the amount of blood cells within the bone marrow
Chemotaxis – movement of white blood cells toward or away from the source of a chemical
gradient
Clotting factors – aka Proclotting Factors or Procoagulants; specialized proteins that, when
activated, form an interplay that effects coagulation
Coagulation – aka clot formation or clotting; process of clot formation through the interaction of
specialized proteins in plasma culminating in the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin
Coagulopathy – hereditary or acquired abnormality of blood coagulation
Complete Blood Count (CBC) – test performed in the hematology laboratory that determines
red blood cell count, white blood cell count and differential count, platelet count, hemoglobin
concentration and hematocrit of a patient
Cytopenia – a reduction in number of one or more cell types in the blood
Deoxyhemoglobin – aka reduced hemoglobin; hemoglobin that is not carrying oxygen
Dyserythropoiesis – abnormal red blood cell development
Ecchymosis – (pl: ecchymoses); bruising caused by leakage of blood from blood vessels
EDTA – ethylenediaminetetraacetate / -tetraacetic acid; most common anticaoagulant used for
hematological studies, especially for CBC
Embolus – a blood clot that migrates through the blood stream and lodges into another vessel,
causing blockage of blood flow
Eosinophil – white blood cells morphologically characterized by bilobed nuclei and coarse
orange granules; involved mainly in anti-helminthic immune response and regulating allergic
response
Erythrocytes – aka red blood cells; cells that contains hemoglobin and carries oxygen through
the blood
Erythropoietin – glycoprotein hormone produced by the kidneys in response to tissue hypoxia;
targets red blood cell precursors in the bone marrow to stimulate proliferation and
maturation
Fibrinolysis – process of dissolution of the clot effected by the action of plasmin (fibrinolysin)
Hematoma – accumulation of blood in the tissues or cavities of the body
Hematocrit – relative expression of the amount of red blood cells in relation to the amount of
whole blood in a sample (in vitro) or total body fluids (in vivo)
Hematopoiesis / Hemopoiesis – involves the production, development, differentiation, and
maturation of blood cells in a blood-forming organ or tissue
Hemoglobin – oxygen-binding protein found within red blood cells
Hemolysis – inappropriate destruction of red blood cells
Hemorrhage – Excessive bleeding leading to leakage of blood from the vessels to the
surrounding tissues and brought about by a breakdown of hemostasis
Hemostasis – process of arresting blood flow to a site of vessel injury; also, the system that
keeps the blood in a fluid state under normal conditions
Hypoxia – lack of oxygen experienced by the tissues; physiologic stimulus for production of red
blood cells
Leukocytes – aka white blood cells; blood cells that are involved in the body’s immune
response
Lymphocytes – smallest of the white blood cells; morphologically characterized by a round
nucleus and scanty sky blue cytoplasm; involved in anti-viral immune response and antibody
production
Macrophages – Phagocytes found in tissues
Monocytes – white blood cells morphologically characterized by a round or irregularly-shaped
nucleus and agranular light blue cytoplasm; considered as professional phagocytes of the
blood; develop into macrophages in the tissues
Neutrophils – white blood cells morphologically characterized by multilobed nuclei and neutral
(lilac or purple) staining of the cytoplasm; involved mainly in anti-bacterial immune response
and inflammatory response
Oxyhemoglobin – hemoglobin with oxygen bound to it
Peripheral blood – blood that is contained within the circulatory system
Peripheral puncture – aka capillary puncture; process of blood collection via skin puncture
Petechiae – red pinpoint-sized hemorrhages of small capillaries in the skin or mucus
membranes
Phagocytosis – process of engulfment and destruction of foreign and unwanted material (such
as bacteria or senescent red blood cells)
Phlebotomy – process of blood collection
Plasma – liquid portion of unclotted blood or anticoagulated blood
Serum - liquid portion of clotted blood
Supravital stain – dyes employed in staining cellular elements while the cell is inits living state
(eg. New Methylene Blue, Brilliant Cresyl Blue)
Thrombocytes – aka platelets; cellular elements that are involved in promoting hemostasis
Thrombosis – inappropriate or pathological formation of a clot in an artery or vein
Thrombus – blood clot that usually develops in a deep vein of the body
Venipuncture – process of blood collection via intravenous access
Wright stain – a type of Romanowsky stain; most common stain used for studying blood cell
morphology

References:
Keohane, E. M., Smith, L. J., and Walenga, J. M. (Eds). (2016). Rodak’s Hematology:
Clinical Principles and Applications (5th ed.). SG: Elsevier Pte Ltd.
McPherson, R. A. and Pincus, M. R. (Eds). (2012). Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and
Management by Laboratory Methods (22nd ed.). SG: Elsevier Pte Ltd.
Moore, G. W., Knight, G., and Blann, A. D. (2010). Fundamentals of Biomedical Science:
Haematology. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press
Turgeon, M. L. (2012). Clinical Hematology: theory and procedures (5th ed.). Baltimore,
MD: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
Stiene-Martin, E. A., Lotspeich-Steininger, C. A., and Koepke, J. A. (1998). Clinical
Hematology: principles, procedures, correlations (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA:
Lippincott-Raven Publishers