Pappenheimer Bodies: A Brief Historical Review

Abstract

Pappenheimer is credited with describing the intraerythrocytic collections of iron, or siderotic granules, as they appear on Wright-stained blood smears of certain patients after splenectomy. The history of their description and elucidation of their origin and disposition shows the interaction of morphology with the increasing understanding of red cell physiology in the mid-twentieth century. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.