Final answer:
Round structures within the cell that represent denatured hemoglobin are called Heinz bodies. These are visualized in red blood cells of patients with conditions such as G6PD deficiency and can be detected during a complete blood count. Heinz bodies are distinct from sickle-cell anemia which also involves abnormal hemoglobin but leads to a sickled shape of RBCs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Round structures within the cell that represent denatured hemoglobin are called Heinz bodies. These structures can be observed in the red blood cells (RBCs) on a blood film during a complete blood count, which is often used to diagnose enzyme deficiencies such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
Within the red blood cells, hemoglobin typically maintains a colloidal suspension, allowing for effective delivery of oxygen to tissues. However, when hemoglobin becomes denatured, such as during an oxidative stress event in G6PD deficiency, it can form aggregates. These aggregates of denatured hemoglobin within the RBC create inclusions known as Heinz bodies, which can be visualized using special staining techniques.
In the context of sickle-cell anemia, a genetic mutation causes a structural change in hemoglobin, which leads to the aggregation of molecules, but these create a different outcome - the sickle shape of the blood cells, not Heinz bodies.