RBC MATURATION STAGES

DIVISIO
N

LOCATION

Dark blue ribosome

conc.
Golgi complex may be
visible

YES

Bone marrow

When stained, deeper

richer blue than
pronormoblast

YES

Bone marrow

Pink color (stained

Hgb)- accumulation of
Hgb pigmentation over
time & decreasing
amts of RNA
Pink + blue = murky
gray-blue
many color loving
Increase in salmonpink color = nearly
complete Hgb prod.
Ribosomes gives
bluish hue, fades away
at the end of stage as
organelles are
degraded

YES

NO
because of
chromatin
condensatio
n

NUCLEUS
PRONORMOBLAS
T

Rubriblast
Proerythroblast

BASOPHILIC
NORMOBLAST
Prorubricyte
Basophilic
erythroblast

POLYCHROMATIC
NORMOBLAST
(Polychromatophilic)
Rubricyte
Polychromatic
erythroblast

ORTHOCHROMIC
NORMOBLAST
Metarubricyte
Orthochromic
erythroblast

Nucleus takes up
much of cell (N:C =
8:1)
Round to oval, 1-2
nucleoli
Purple red chromatin
is open
Chromatin begins to
condense
Parachromatin: larger
and sharper
N:C ration = 6:1
Deep purple-red
Nucleoli may be
present, but
disappear later
Chromatin pattern
varies
Chromatin
condensation
reduces diameter of
nucleus (N:C ratio =
from 4:1 to 1:1)
No nucleoli present
Completely
condensed or nearly
so
N:C ratio = low,
approx. 1:2

CYTOPLASM

CELLULAR ACTIVITY

Accumulation of components needed for Hgb

production
Proteins & enzymes for iron uptake & protoporphyrin
synthesis are produced
Globin prod. begins

More
than 24
hrs

Detectable Hgb synthesis occurs

Cytoplasmic organelles, RNA mask the minute amt
of Hgb pigmentation

Slightly
more
than 24
hrs

Bone marrow

Hgb synthesis increases

Cellular organelles still present
Decline in DNA transcription = progressive
condensation of nucleus, disappearance of nucleoli

Approx.
30 hours

Bone marrow

Hgb production continues on ribosomes using mRNA

Later stage, nucleus is ejected from the cell.
Nucleus -> cell membrane -> pseudopod-like
projection
Loss of protein vimentin (holds organelles in proper
location in cytoplasm)
Nucleus-containing projection separates from cell
Non muscle myosin- important in this process
Pyrenocyte envelope extruded nucleus; engulfed
by bone marrow macrophage
Other organelles are also ingested
Howell-Jolly bodies small fragments of nucleus;
removed by splenic macrophage pitting process
Hgb prod. Is completed from residual mRNA using
remaning ribosomes
Cytoplasmic protein prod machinery is dismantled

Approx.
48 hrs

2d
bone
marrow

POLYCHROMATIC
ERYTHROCYTE

No nucleus at the
beginning

Cell is the same color

as a mature RBC,
salmon pink

NO
Because it
lacks

LENGTH
OF TIME

Bone
marrow 1
d or

Polychromatophilic
erythrocyte
Reticulocyte

ERYTHROCYTE

No nucleus

Larger than a mature

cell
Shape is not
biconcave, but
irregular
Biconcave disc, 7-8um,
1.5-2.5um thick,
salmon-pink, 1/3 of cell
(pallor)

nucleus

NO

longer

Peripheral
blood 1
d before
maturity
Peripheral
blood

Endoribonuclease digests ribosomes

Acidic components that attract the basophilic stain
decline
Receptors prod. decline; cells are freed to leave the
b. marrow
Mature RBC delivers oxygen to tissues; returns to
lung to be reoxygenated.

3rd day
periphera
l blood

120 days