Methods of Preparing Blood Smear

1. Two Slide or Wedge Method

2. Two Cover Slip Method or Erlich Method
3. Cover Glassand Slide Method or Spinner’s Method
Types of Stains Used in Differential Counting
1. Romanowsky Stains
a. Wright Stain
b. Giemsa Stain
c. Leishman Stain
2. Panoptic Stains
a. Jenner- Giemsa Stain
b. May- Grunwald- Griemsa Stain
Methods of Staining
1. Staining Dish Method
2. Staining Jar or DIP Method
3. Automatic Method
Methods of Differential Staining
1. Four –Field Meander Method
2. Two Field Method
3. Exaggerated Battered Method
4. Strip Differential Method

Nucleus Cytoplasm Normal Value

Neutrophils Broken into segment Small pinkish stains 60-70%
Or 55-70%
Lymphocyte Closely knitted; usually Light Blue 25-35% up to 40%
round
a)Large Immature and found
rarely; Usually mistaken as
Monocytes
b)Small Mature, typical
Neutrophil BANDS Younger form of 2-6%
neutrophils with a C, S or
horse-shoe shape
appearance
Eosinophils Has 2 lobes a large coarse 1-4%
reddish or orange
granules
Monocyte- Large cell in Spongy. Sprawling with Light gray 2-6%
the circulation brain- like coagulation
Basophils Indistinct and appear Purplish black or bluish 0-1%
burned under large Granules

Criteria of a Good Blood Smear

1. The thick area makes a gradual transition to the thin area (feather-like edge)
2. The blood in the thin area does not extend to the end of the side
3. Must have smooth and even surface
4. Leukocytes must be clumping
RECOMMENDED ORDER OF DRAW FOR PHLEBOTOMY

Evacuated Tube System No. of Inversion Additive

Light Blue 3-4 Sodium Citrate
Yellow 8 ACD (Acid Citrate Dextrose)
Gold 5 SST (Serum Separating Tube)
Red(Glass) 0 None
Red (plastic) 5 Clot activator
Light Green 8 Plasma Separating Tube
Green 8 Sodium Heparin
Purple 8 K2EDTA; K3EDTA
Gray 8 Potassium Oxalate