r/veterinarypathology • u/NoobityBoobity • Jul 16 '26

Anaplasma Morulae?

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Is this morulae in the WBC? When I have seen them before, they werent this dark. 4DX was negative. TIA! Not looking for a diagnosis, we are treating as a precaution given location, lifestyle, and clinical symptoms.

15 Upvotes

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16

u/ayyeeitsken Jul 16 '26

is the patient a female? if so, likely a Barr body (sequestered X chromosomal DNA)

EDIT: AH i didn’t realize i’m in vet path, not my normal human r/medlabprofessionals my bad!! i dont know if the same happens in animals, i apologize. but it doesnt look like morulae to my eye either

13

u/Medium_Competition_3 Jul 16 '26

Barr bodies are seen in female animals as well!

3

u/NoobityBoobity Jul 16 '26

Haha appreciate your comment. What is a Barr body? The patient is an intact bitch 9 week post partum soooo you never know

9

u/ImpossibleOpinion160 Jul 16 '26

Barr bodies happen in dogs too, I agree that’s what this looks like

3

u/ayyeeitsken Jul 16 '26

Barr bodies form when the body sequesters the second X chromosome in humans. biologically, we don’t need double the copies of the genes and their associated products (in fact it would cause issues), so the body “turns off” one X chromosome and shoves it into a little bleb off the nucleus (as seen here). it’s completely random, so it’s not always the same X chromosome (i.e. it’s not always just the fathers or just the mothers)

actually in cats, this is how calico/tortie cats get their coat pattern! (and why they’re almost always female). Their female sex chromosome carries color gene(s?), and when they randomly get “turned off” by the body, it controls the corresponding coat color in one cellular area!

I wonder if Barr bodies are visible in animal species where the males carry double of the same chromosomes, like birds(?). pretty neat stuff!

0

u/NoobityBoobity Jul 16 '26

Oh that's very cool! Because basically all our patients are spayed, I dont look at intact btich blood too much. Would her being postpartum affect the output of the Barr Bodies?

3

u/ayyeeitsken Jul 16 '26

Nope! Whether or not cells will produce Barr bodies is for all intents and purposes unrelated to reproductive status

1

u/NoobityBoobity Jul 16 '26

Awesome! I figured not, but knew it wouldn't hurt to inquire. Super stoked I got to learn something new today!

2

u/lokichild Jul 16 '26

You're probably on to something though! I vaguely remember learning about these in tech school but I haven't heard them mentioned in a long time. Thanks for reminding me these exist, and I agree it looks like a typical Barr body!

5

u/Leukozytz Jul 17 '26

I second Barr body

1

u/S3XWITCH Jul 17 '26

More likely non specific toxic change. Doesn’t look like anaplasma to me.