Final answer:
The term for red blood cells with 'spikes' on their surfaces due to blood smear artifacts is echinocyte.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for red blood cells that exhibit "spikes" on their surfaces and is often considered an artifact of the blood smear production process is echinocyte. Echinocytes, also known as burr cells, can arise as a result of an alteration during the process of creating a blood smear and are not typically present in the circulating blood.
When examining red blood cells (RBCs), also known as erythrocytes, under a microscope after staining such as with Wright-Giemsa stain, artifacts like echinocytes can appear. However, these are distinct from the typical biconcave, donut-shaped appearance of healthy erythrocytes which are designed to transport respiratory gases to and from the lungs.