Hematocrit= % of RBCs in the blood (amount of space RBCs take up in the blood)

Hemoglobin= iron-rich protein in red blood cells

Reticulocytes= immature RBCs that form and mature in bone marrow before being released
into the blood.
Reticulocyte% = [# reticulocytes / # total RBCs] x 100
High retic= acute or chronic bleeding OR increased RBC destruction (hemolysis) which all lead to
anemia. Body compensates by increasing rate of RBC production and releasing
RBC sooner before they are more mature. When this happens, the # and % of
retics increases until a sufficiently replaced the loss OR the production capacity
of the bone marrow is reached.
Low retic= can be bone marrow not functioning correctly like in aplastic anemia. Can also be
liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, radiation or chemo tx, low erythropoietin,
deficient in iron, Vit B12, or folate.