Classification of Neutrophilic Granulocytes

Neutrophilic Granulocytes (May Grnwald-Giemsa stain)

Myeloblasts
cell size nucleus shape nuclear chromatin N/C ratio ~12 18 m round or oval very fine

Characteristics
cytoplasm colour granules nucleoli none or a few 1 or more azurophilic granules

greater than 0.5 strongly basophilic as a rule

Classification of neoplastic myeloblasts: type I myeloblasts: no granules, type II myeloblasts: less than 20 granules, type III myeloblasts: more than 20 granules

Promyelocytes

cell size

nucleus shape

nuclear chromatin fine with little or no clumping

N/C ratio less than 0.5 as a rule

cytoplasm colour less basophilic than myeloblasts

granules azurophilic granules few = promyelocytes I many = promyelocytes II

nucleoli 1 or more

~14 24 m round or oval

Neutrophilic Granulocytes (May Grnwald-Giemsa stain)

Myelocytes
cell size nucleus shape nuclear chromatin cytoplasm colour ~10 18 m oval or slightly variable degree of acidophilic indented chromatin clumping

Characteristics
granules (immature) granules (mature) nucleoli primary (azurophilic) many secondary 1 or more and secondary granules (neutrophilic) granules

Metamyelocytes

cell size

nucleus shape

nuclear chromatin

cytoplasm colour

granules

nucleoli

~10 17 m thick horseshoe or usually clumped acidophilic indented

appearance of many none secondary (neutrophilic) granules

Neutrophilic Granulocytes (May Grnwald-Giemsa stain)

Band neutrophils
cell size ~10 15 m nucleus shape nuclear chromatin cytoplasm colour band shaped or coarse and clumpy strongly acidophilic indented, beginning segmentation

Characteristics
granules nucleoli specific (neutrophilic) none granules

Segmented neutrophils

cell size ~10 15 m

nucleus shape

nuclear chromatin

cytoplasm colour

granules

nucleoli

~2 5 distinct lobes clumped acidophilic connected by thin filaments

fine, specific granules none sometimes giving a ground glass appearance

Classification
Difference between myeloblasts and promyelocytes
nuclear chromatin granules N/C ratio Myeloblasts Promyelocytes very fine fine with little or no clumping none or few primary azurophilic granules present greater than 0.5 less than 0.5

Difference between myelocytes and metamyelocytes* (clumped chromatin)

Nucleus shape round to a a b oval shape indented indented b b<2m b2m a4 m b<1m b1m a4 m
a b

Myelocytes a1/2b Metamyelocytes a<1/2b

*Note: classification of nucleus shape

Nucleus: oval shape Cytoplasm: basophilic N/C ratio: > 0.5

azurophilic granules

no: myeloblast few: promyelocyte

Difference between metamyelocytes and band neutrophils

a b Nucleus shape Metamyelocytes Band neutrophils a>4m b>2m 2a4 m

Other criteria in determining promyelocytes: 1. Chromatin structure becomes more coarse. 2. Golgi body is more distinct.

Difference between promyelocytes and myelocytes

nuclear chromatin granules few or many primary primary (azurophilic) and secondary (neutrophilic) basophilic cytoplasm distribution over 50% of cytoplasm distribution in less than 50 % of cytoplasm*

Promyelocytes fine with little or no clumping Myelocytes variable degree of chromatin clumping

Difference between band neutrophils and segmented neutrophils*

a a = width of nucleus bridge Nucleus shape
b b = maximum width of nucleus

*Note: classify using nuclear chromatin and presence of specific granules.

Band neutrophils Segmented neutrophils*

2a4 m a1/3b a<2m a<1/3b

ZE000041.EN.C.12/10

* Note: the following nucleus shapes are classified into segmented neutrophils: 1. T- or Y-shaped lobes 2. 3-dimensional overlapping of lobes 3. knotted lobes

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