Gender Determination Using Peripheral Blood Smear

Background: Sex chromatin is a chromatin mass of 1 micron size usually seen at the periphery of nucleus infemales. The term sex chromatin comprises of two superficially dissimilar structures known as Barr body inepithelial cells, other tissue cells and as Drumstick appearance in polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Aim of thestudy is gender determination by drumstick appearance of neutrophils using Leishman’s stain and Field stain.Materials and Methods: The present study included 60 individuals ranging from 20-50 age group of both thesexes to observe the morphology of sex chromatin in neutrophil by using Leishman’s and Field stain for thegender determination and comparison between the 2 staining procedure, using research microscope.Results: Presence of drumsticks, sessile nodule and non specific appendages like racket, tag, hook, minor lobe,small club, were found in neutrophils. In males 37% of drumstick, 7% of sessile nodule, 20% of racket structure,3% small club, 13% minor lobe, 7% hook, 3% tag, was seen and in females 10% of drumstick, 60% of sessilenodule, 17% of racket structure, 7% small club, 1% minor lobe, 0% hook, 3% tag, was seen and field’s stainshowed better results in appreciating the morphology of neutrophil.Conclusion: Observation on morphology and comparison between 2 different stain presented a moderate agreementin gender determination.

Sexual Dimorphism in Morphology and Morphometry of Neutrophil Drumsticks.

Introduction: Sex chromatin is a chromatin mass of 1 micron size usually seen at the periphery of nucleus in females. In the literature majority reported its absence inmales while few reported its low incidence inmales. The term ‘sex chromatin’ comprises two superficially dissimilar structures the “Barr body” present in epithelial and other tissue cells and the “Drumstick” of the polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Materials and methods: The present study was conducted to observe the morphology, morphometry and percentage incidence of Drumsticks in the blood neutrophils of 110 individuals ranging from 17-30 age group and both sexes using a calibrated ocular/eye piece micrometer. Results: The percentage incidence of drumsticks including non-specific appendages as well as the total number of true drumsticks in females exceeds that in males. Four different types of nonspecific appendages-sessile nodules, racket structures, minor lobes and small clubs were found in the blood neutrophils along with the drumsticks. A higher percentage of non-specific appendages i.e.minor lobes (46.2%), racket structures (42.3%), and small clubs (11.5%) were observed in males and sessile nodules were found only in females. Conclusion: Observations on morphology, morphometry and percentage incidence of polymorphonuclear drumsticks presented a valuable data on sex differences.