Crenated Cell is another name for an echinocyte. Echinocytes are types of poikilocytes caused by a cell membrane abnormality. Echinocytes are also called burr or berry cells. Echinocytes have 10-30 spiny projections and can indicate malnutrition or kidney failure.
Miss-handling of a blood smear preparation, i.e. too much EDTA, can make cells look like echinocytes, when it is actually a laboratory prepartion error. Doing another slide is therefore recommended to confirm or deny their presence.
See also poikilocytes
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