Dacrocytes - teardrop cells

3D Model

Dacrocytes take their name from the ancient Greek ‘dacryon’ meaning ‘tear’ however they are also referred to, without this classical association, by the directly descriptive ‘teardrop cell’. They are erythrocytes with an elongation at one end, unlike elliptocytes (also called ovalocytes) which are stretched on opposite sides. They are thought to be formed when the cell gets pinched passing through the microcirculation or the bone marrow, especially if the cell already has damage which affects its deformability.