Target Cell

Target Cell: Description and Relationship to Anemia

Red blood cells, or erythrocytes, play an important role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to tissues, as well as removing carbon dioxide from the body. In addition, they contain hemoglobin, a protein that is responsible for binding oxygen and transporting it through the circulatory system.

However, sometimes abnormal red cells called target cells can be found in the blood. They received this name due to their special shape, reminiscent of a target.

When a blood sample is stained with special dyes, alternating dark and light rings can be observed inside the target cells. This is due to the fact that the target cells contain incorrectly formed hemoglobin, which forms special inclusions in the cell.

The presence of target cells in the blood can be a sign of certain diseases, including iron deficiency anemia, liver disease and abnormalities in the structure of hemoglobin. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough iron, which is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin. This leads to a decrease in the number of red blood cells and the development of anemia.

Target cells may also be observed in other forms of anemia such as thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies. Thalassemia is a group of genetic diseases that lead to decreased hemoglobin synthesis. Hemoglobinopathies are diseases in which the structure of hemoglobin is altered due to the presence of defective genes.

Finding target cells in the blood can help doctors make a diagnosis and determine the cause of anemia. To do this, special blood tests are performed, including studying the morphology of red blood cells and studying hemoglobin.

Overall, the target cell is an important indicator of blood disorders, allowing doctors to diagnose and treat anemia. However, the presence of target cells in itself is not a diagnostic criterion, and additional examinations and tests must be performed to establish a diagnosis.

Target cell is a term used in medicine to describe an abnormal red blood cell (RBC) that, when stained, shows alternating dark and light rings. This phenomenon can be caused by various diseases, such as anemia, liver disease or abnormal hemoglobin structure. Target cells can be detected in blood tests and used to diagnose and monitor various conditions.

One of the most common causes of target cells is iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This condition occurs when the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin, which is needed to carry oxygen throughout the body. In IDA, the level of iron in the blood decreases, which leads to a decrease in the number of healthy red blood cells and an increase in the number of abnormal target cells.

Another possible cause of target cells may be vitamin B12 deficiency. This vitamin is essential for the production of red blood cells and a deficiency can result in abnormal red blood cells.

Liver disease can also cause the appearance of target cells, since the liver is responsible for producing proteins needed to produce healthy red blood cells. In liver disease, the levels of these proteins decrease, which can lead to an increase in the number of target cells.

The target cell is a red blood cell containing abnormal hemoglobin. When blood is stained, alternating light and dark rings are visible (the latter are areas of hemoglobin accumulation).

Initially, the idea of ​​a target cell was proposed for medical purposes for the diagnosis of a number of pathologies associated with blood transfusion. So, after a transfusion, if the level of iron in the body of the individual to whom the red blood cells were infused decreases, then the cell is split. As a result, rings characteristic of this disease can be seen in it. The method has been used for half a century, but even now (after the advent of modern diagnostic methods) it is not excluded from the classification of laboratory tests.

However, more recently, German biochemists led by Stefan Schwarzler have used the target cell for a more mundane purpose - studying one single hydrogen atom. To do this, they isolated hydrogen atoms from water, isolating them from biological samples, and encapsulated them in special protein shells—organized matrices. After this, scientists created bacterial cells based on the bacterium E. coli, the matrices thus obtained were used in