target cell

1. A cell selectively affected by a particular agent, such as a virus, drug, or hormone.

2. An abnormal red blood cell having a dark center surrounded by a light band that is itself encircled by a darker ring, seen in certain anemias and after splenectomy.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	target cell - any cell that has a specific receptor for an antigen or antibody or hormone or drug, or is the focus of contact by a virus or phagocyte or nerve fiber etc. somatic cell, vegetative cell - any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells; a cell that does not participate in the production of gametes; "somatic cells are produced from preexisting cells";
	2.	target cell - an abnormal red blood cell with the appearance of a dark ring surrounding a dark center; associated with anemia erythrocyte, RBC, red blood cell - a mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues; a biconcave disc that has no nucleus

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References in periodicals archive

The 10 class labels chosen were based on clinical significance and availability: schistocytes, dacrocytes (teardrop cells), acanthocytes, elliptocytes, stomatocytes, spherocytes, codocytes (target cells), echinocytes, overlap, and normal.

Very Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Morphologic Classification of Erythrocytes

Red cell shapes Differential diagnosis Irreversibly sickled red Sickle cell syndromes(SS, SC, cells (drepanocytes) Spthalassemia) Target cells (codocytes, Sickle cell disease, haemoglobin mexican hat cells) C trait, haemoglobin CC disease, thalassemias, iron deficiency, Liver disease (cholestasis), asplenia, Fragmented red cells Thrombotic micro-angiopathic (schistocytes, helmet haemolytic anaemias such as cells, keratocytes) Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

Morphologic evaluation of Anemia--I

(5,6) Also noted in the PBS image is poikilocytosis, anisocytosis, hypochromia, drepanocytes (sickle cells), and codocytes (target cells).

Hematology Case Study: A normocytic, normochromic Anemia

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