Reticulocytes in peripheral blood smear (human)

Stain: Brilliant cresyl blue. After expulsion of the erythroblastic nucleus the remaining cell is called reticulocyte. This staining visualizes the remained aggregated strands of polysomes as a fine network. The expulsed nucleus will be phagocytosed by macrophages and reticular cells in the bone marrow. The number of reticulocytes in peripheral blood increases considerably in anemic conditions (malaria infection; phenylhydrazin treatment)