Mexican Hat Cell

tar·get cell

1. an erythrocyte with a dark center surrounded by a light band that again is encircled by a darker ring; it thus resembles a shooting target; such cells appear in target-cell anemias or after splenectomy; Synonym(s): Mexican hat cell

2. a cell lysed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, as in graft rejection.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

A thin red blood cell with the appearance of a target with a bull’s eye due to a disproportional increase in the surface membrane-to-volume ratio secondary to increased membrane surface area or decreased haemoglobin
Aetiology
• Liver disease Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase activity may decrease in obstructive liver disease, increasing the cholesterol:phospholipid ratio, thereby increasing red cell surface area
• Iron deficiency Decreased haemoglobin content relative to surface area—seen in thalassemias, haemoglobin C disease, etc.
• Post-splenectomy Altered erythrocytes are not removed from the circulation
• Autosplenectomy Sickle cell anaemia

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

tar·get cell

(tahr'gĕt sel)

1. An erythrocyte in target cell anemia, with a dark center surrounded by a light band that again is encircled by a darker ring, thus resembling a target used in practice with firearms or archery; such cells also appear after splenectomy.

2. A cell lysed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, as in graft rejection.
Synonym(s): codocyte, leptocyte, Mexican hat cell.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

tar·get cell

(tahr'gĕt sel)

An erythrocyte in target cell anemia, with a dark center surrounded by a light band that again is encircled by a darker ring, thus resembling a target used in practice with firearms or archery; such cells also appear after splenectomy.
Synonym(s): leptocyte, Mexican hat cell.

Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012