While looking at a sample of blood in a microscope, you see a purple-stained cell that is markedly larger than a red blood cell (about two to three times larger). It has a large kidney-shaped nucleus. What type of blood cell is this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The description of a purple-stained cell that is larger than a red blood cell and has a large kidney-shaped nucleus is consistent with a monocyte. Monocytes are a type of white blood cell that are larger than red blood cells and have a large horseshoe-shaped nucleus. They are stained purple in standard blood smears. Eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils are types of white blood cells, but they do not have the specific characteristics that were described.

While Looking at a Sample of Blood in a Microscope