Howell-Jolly bodies

These images were taken from the 1997 Cytohematology Proficiency Test Event - Slide 005. Howell-Jolly bodies are round, purple staining nuclear fragments of DNA in the red blood cell. They are usually observed singly in hemolytic anemia, following splenectomy, and in cases of splenic atrophy. Multiple Howell-Jolly bodies may be observed in cases of megaloblastic anemia.