CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 13: HEMATOLOGY AND COAGULATION 337
• The nucleus of the monocyte is normally ropy, or less dense than that of the lymphocyte.
The nucleus of the lymphocyte is normally more condensed, round, and
darker than the nucleus of the monocyte.
• Cytoplasm-to-nuclear ratio is also an important component in differentiation of
white blood cells. For instance, the amount of cytoplasm of a monocyte is most
often more abundant than that of the lymphocyte.
Equipment and Supplies
1. Gloves, disposable paper towels, and disinfectant or other cleaning solution
2. Report form for Procedure #2
3. Stained blood film (see Procedure #1 for directions on properly preparing and
staining a blood film)
4. Brightfield microscope
5. Microscope immersion oil
6. Lens paper
7. Sharps container for disposal of used slides, and other appropriate waste disposal
containers
Procedure
1. Wash hands and don gloves.
2. Assemble necessary equipment and supplies.
3. The instructor may choose to provide stained blood films from a normal
patient for students to become familiar with the morphology of both RBC and
WBCs, or the student may prepare a stained blood film following the steps in
Procedure #1.
4. Visually inspect the slide to ensure that the blood film is properly distributed on it
and that a feathered edge is present (see Procedure #1).
5. Place the stained blood film on the microscope stage.
6. Focus the microscope using the low-power objective, locating the feathered end
of the smear.
a. Examine the slide under low power to determine the best area(s) in which to
count. The RBCs should not be touching each other.
b. Do not count WBCs in the extreme edge of the feathered area, where WBCs
may be congregated.
c. Use the charts and diagrams in this chapter to identify normal cells.
7. Using the fine adjustment knob of the microscope and adjusting the light source,
find an area where the distribution shows RBCs that are not touching but that are
close to each other.
8. Place a drop of immersion oil on the smear where the light is brightest from the
condenser.
9. Rotate the nosepiece of the microscope until the oil immersion objective comes
in contact with the immersion oil.
10. Use the fine adjustment to gain a sharp image of the blood cells.
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