Platelets in peripheral blood smear (human)

Stain: May-Grnwald-Giemsa (MGG). The platelets or thrombocytes are small cell fragments released from megakaryocytes. The platelets (→) measure 1-3 μm in diameter. They contain fine azurophilic granules which may be dispersed throughout the cytoplasm or concentrated in the centre; in the latter case the central granules-containing cytoplasm is called granulomere and the peripheral, weakly basophilic agranular cytoplasm the hyalomere. The platelets contain several type of granules, e.g. α-granules (= azurophilic granules).