5 - Band neutrophil (1000X)

• Stage 1 - Myeloblast
• Stage 2 - Promyelocyte
• Stage 3 - Myelocyte
• Stage 4 - Metamyelocyte
• Stage 5 - Band neutrophil
• Stage 6 - Segmented neutrophil

In young neutrophil granulocytes, the lobulation of the nucleus is not yet clear and are therefore termed band neutrophil.

Normally there are about 5% of these band neutrophils in the blood, but in certain pathological conditions (for example an infection) where there is an increased production of neutrophil granulocytes, their percentage number rises and we then speak of a left shift of the neutrophil blood picture. Or the opposite, in pernicious anemia one can find neutrophil granulocytes with more segments than normal (six or more) and then it is called a right shift of the neutrophil blood picture.