Appearance:^1,2

Dark red hexagonal crystals with blunt ends. The crystal is prominent within the red blood cell, or may be found extra-cellularly. Usually only one crystal is present per single cell. Hemoglobin C crystals are rarely found, as the spleen will remove them from circulation, though patients who have undergone a splenectomy have may numerous hemoglobin C crystals present on their peripheral blood smear.

Inclusion composition:²

Crystalized Hemoglobin C.

Associated Disease/Clinical States:¹

Homozygous Hemoglobin C Disease

References:

1. Rodak BF, Carr JH. Variations in shape and distribution of  erythrocytes. In: Clinical hematology atlas. 5th ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Inc.; 2017. p. 93-106.

2. Jones KW. Evaluation of cell morphology and introduction to platelet and white blood cell morphology.  In: Clinical hematology and fundamentals of hemostasis. 5th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company; 2009. p. 93-116.