PAPPENHEIMER BODIES

LOM-OC, VILLANUE
Pappenheimer
Abnormal Basophilic granules of iron inside the
RBC

Bodies Composed of Ferritin aggregates, or ferritin-

containing mitochondria or phagosomes

Alwin Max Pappenheimer et al. Siderocyte – a cell containing Pappenheimer bodies

In 1945

Finding of ring (ringed) sideroblasts characterizes

Sideroblastic anemia
Pappenheimer
Bodies Morphologic Appearance
Characteristics (Supravital & Wright’s stain)
Small, 2 to 3 µm irregular basophilic with light to dark
blue inclusions that aggregate in small clusters near
periphery of the cell

Condition/Disease Association
Sideroblastic anemia, Post-splenectomy,
Hemoglobinopathies, Thalassemia, Megaloblastic anemia,
Myelodysplastic syndrome, and Hypersplenism

Defect or Change
Unused iron deposits
Pappenheimer
Bodies Prussian Blue Stain
Characteristics Helps identify that the inclusions are pure iron deposits,
and not as heme in Heinz bodies
Pappenheimer
Bodies

Reticulocytes Confused with Late Reticulocytes

Prussian blue stain is not taken up by reticulocytes

Can cause False elevation of Platelet count

When performed with electronic counters
 PAPPENHEIMER BODIES

also referred to as siderotic

granules, composed of iron.
Seen in the iron loading
processes and iron-
overloading.
Disease Associated POST SPLENECTOMY

HEMOGLOBINPATHIES

MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA

SIDEROBLACTIC ANEMIA

THALASSEMIAS
Disease Associated
6 HYPOSPLENISM

7 HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA

8 MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROME

9 LEAD POISONING
POST SPLENECTOMY
Red pulp of the
spleen can no
longer do its
function. Site for
old platelets that
undergoes
phagocytosis.
HEMOGLOBINPATHIES

Point mutation of the

gene in coding region
(exons),which cause
production of defective
globin that results in
formation of abnormal
hemoglobin
(hemoglobin variants).
MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA

Ineffective erythropoiesis
secondary to
intramedullary apoptosis
of hematopoietic cell
precursors, which results
from DNA synthesis
abnormalities. 
SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA

Unable to use iron in making

hemoglobin, which carries
oxygen in the blood. As a
result, iron accumulates in the
mitochondria of red blood
cells, giving a ringed
appearance to the nucleus.
THALASSEMIAS

Thalassemia is a blood
disorder that is caused by
DNA mutations in cells that
are responsible for producing
haemoglobin. This leads to a
reduction in the number and
ability of the red blood cells to
carry oxygen.
HYPOSPLENISM
Reduced ('hypo-') splenic
functioning, but not as
severely affected as with
asplenism. Asplenia
refers to the absence of
normal spleen function
and is associated with
some serious infection
risks. 
 HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA

Hemolysis is associated with a release of RBC

lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Hemoglobin
released from damaged RBCs leads to an
increase in indirect bilirubin and urobilinogen
levels.
MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROME
Conditions that can
occur when the blood-
forming cells in the
bone marrow become
abnormal. This leads
to low numbers of one
or more types of
blood cells. MDS is
considered a type
of cancer.
LEAD POISONING Hypochromia and
microcytosis are
typically seen in iron-
deficiency anemia,
which often coexists
with lead toxicity.
Assessing iron
storage status
(ferritin) in all cases
of lead poisoning is
important.