Mushroom-shaped RBCs

Q: Mushroom-shaped Red Blood Cells (RBCs) signify what?

Answer: Oxidative stress

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mushroom-shaped RBCs, also known as fish-shaped cells or pincer cells, became a widely used term. They can also be associated with anisocytosis, spherocytes, stomatocytes, and polychromasia. 

They are strongly associated with oxidative stress in RBC physiology. It can also occur in iron deficiency, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, hepatic insufficiency, hereditary elliptocytosis, MDS, myeloproliferative neoplasms, and acute leukemia.

#hematology

References:

1. Gérard D, Ben Brahim S, Lesesve JF, Perrin J. Are mushroom-shaped erythrocytes an indicator of COVID-19? Br J Haematol 2021; 192:230.

2. Robier C, Körber C, Quehenberger F, et al. The frequency of occurrence of fish-shaped red blood cells in different haematologic disorders. Clin Chem Lab Med 2018; 56:323.

3. Ford J. Red blood cell morphology. Int J Lab Hematol 2013; 35:351.