Slide DMS #100 [Blood Smear, Human, Methylene blue]. Examine the slide first under low power and then under high power. Note: this slide was scanned at 100X (oil imersion). Reticulocytes can be identified by the dark blue (basophilia) in the cytoplasm of some of the erythrocytes. Is this peripheral blood smear normal or abnormal?
Immature red blood cells, called reticulocytes, can be seen in peripheral blood smears stained with a basic dye such as New Methylene Blue as seen here under oil immersion. These dyes bind to residual rRNA elements still present in these cells forming a reticular precipitate.