A true stem cell that has a potential to self-renew and differentiate into any lineage of blood cells.
Haematopoietic
stem cell
Mature B cell in peripheral blood, which cannot be clearly distinguished morphologically from other lymphocytic subsets.
Lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system are antigen-specific in recognizing and eliminating threats to the body.
B lymphocyte
Precursor of the B cell in lymph nodes.
Pro-B
Mature NK-cell, a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte. To recognize and eliminate threats to the body, lymphocytes of the innate immune system deliver an immediate response to viral attack.
NK-cell
Precursor of the natural killer cell in bone marrow.
It is often difficult to distinguish blast cells of myelocytic, monocytic, or megakaryocytic lineages from lymphoblasts.
Additional techniques, such as immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, are necessary to determine cell origin.
Lymphoblast
Mature T cell in peripheral blood, which cannot be clearly distinguished morphologically from other lymphocytic subsets.
Lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system are antigen-specific in recognizing and eliminating threats to the body.
T lymphocyte
Precursor of the T cell in the thymus.
Pro-T
The early progenitor committed to lymphoid lineage. Gives rise to precursors of T and B lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Lymphoid progenitors leave the bone marrow for maturation in the thymus and lymph nodes.
Common
lymphoid progenitor
Early progenitor cell that primarily differentiates along the lymphoid lineage. However, the potential to take on myeloid fate is not lost.
Lymphoid-primed
multipotent progenitor
Mature platelet circulating in peripheral blood.
Platelet
Immature platelet with remnants of nucleic acids. This cell stage is already released into peripheral blood.
Reticulated platelet
Platelet-generating cell: its cytoplasm undergoes a massive reorganisation into beaded cytoplasmic extensions called ‘proplatelets’ which fragmentation and release results in the generation of platelets.
Megakaryocyte
Precursor of platelet-generating cell.
Promegakaryocyte
Early precursor in the platelet cell line.
It is often difficult to distinguish blast cells of different lineages, so immunophenotyping by FCM may be necessary to determine cell origin.
Megakaryoblast
Mature red cell devoid of any nucleic acids, circulating in peripheral blood.
Red blood cell
Immature red cell with remnants of nucleic acids in the cytoplasm.
Reticulocyte
Least immature nucleated red blood cell with pink cytoplasm and small nucleus.
Orthochromatic
erythroblast
Medium immature nucleated red blood cell with a medium-sized nucleus and bluish to pink cytoplasm, which colour change results from the start of haemoglobin synthesis.
Polychromatic
erythroblast
Most immature nucleated red blood cell with bluish (basophilic) cytoplasm and large nucleus.
Basophilic
erythroblast
Early red precursor cell. To distinguish blast cells of different lineages, it may take immunophenotyping by flow cytometry.
Intermediate progenitor that can only differentiate into a red blood cell or megakaryocyte.
Megakaryocyte-erythroid
progenitor
Mature basophil, which can release histamine and heparin to respond to a suspected infection.
Basophilic
granulocyte
Slightly immature basophilic granulocyte with a non-segmented nucleus; such cells may appear in peripheral blood in the course of a ‘left shift’.
Basophilic
band cell
Immature basophilic granulocyte in which cell division is not possible anymore and protein synthesis has stopped.
Basophilic
metamyelocyte
Fairly immature basophilic granulocyte in which the subpopulation-specific separation has taken place by secondary granulation.
Basophilic
myelocyte
Cell which can give rise to any blood cell lineage.
Multipotent
progenitor
The early progenitor capable of differentiating into any cell of a myeloid lineage, red blood cell or megakaryocyte.
Common myeloid
progenitor
This intermediate progenitor is committed to monocytic and granulocytic lineages.
Granulocyte-
monocyte
progenitor
Early precursor of the granulocytic cell line, representing its first microscopically identifiable stage. It may still take immunophenotyping by FCM to determine cell origin.
Myeloblast
Precursor of the granulocytic subpopulations. In this stage, the primary granulation has taken place.
Promyelocyte
Fairly immature eosinophilic granulocyte in which the subpopulation-specific separation has taken place by secondary granulation.
Eosinophilic
myelocyte
Immature eosinophilic granulocyte in which cell division is not possible anymore and protein synthesis has stopped.
Eosinophilic
metamyelocyte
Slightly immature eosinophilic granulocyte with a non-segmented nucleus; such cells may appear in peripheral blood in the course of a ‘left shift’.
Eosinophilic
band cell
Mature eosinophil with the functions of phagocytosis, chemotaxis, mortification of parasites, inhibition of mast cell degranulation, and neutralization of histamine.
Eosinophilic
granulocyte
Fairly immature neutrophilic granulocyte in which the subpopulation-specific separation has taken place by secondary granulation.
Neutrophilic
myelocyte
Immature neutrophilic granulocyte in which cell division is not possible anymore and protein synthesis has stopped.
Neutrophilic
metamyelocyte
Slightly immature neutrophilic granulocyte with a non-segmented nucleus; such cells may appear in peripheral blood in the course of a ‘left shift’.
Neutrophilic
band cell
Mature neutrophil with its distinctively segmented nucleus; its functions are phagocytosis, unspecific immune defence, and – in tissue – defence of the mucosa against bacteria and fungi.
Neutrophilic
granulocyte
Early monocytic precursor. It is often difficult to distinguish blast cells of different lineages, so immunophenotyping by flow cytometry may be necessary to determine cell origin.
Monoblast
Large monocytic precursor cell in which cell division is still possible.
Promonocyte
Mature monocyte, which moves from peripheral blood into tissue where it differentiates into a macrophage performing phagocytosis, either of harmful pathogens or dead, dying or damaged cells from the blood.
Monocyte
Peripheral blood
Lymph nodes
Bone marrow
Bone marrow
Peripheral blood
Thymus
Bone marrow