Normal values for reticulocyte percentage

The percentage of reticulocytes is 0.5% to 1.5%. Reticulocytes are late juvenile erythrocytes that have not fully matured after the nucleus has been removed, and are named for the presence of organelles such as ribosomes in the cytoplasm, which are stained to give them a reticulated structure. Reticulocyte hyperplasia is common when the bone marrow red lineage is hyperplastic, such as after acute hemolytic anemia or massive blood loss, due to the loss of red blood cells in the peripheral blood, the reticulocytes in the bone marrow that are not fully mature will be released. In iron deficiency anemia or megaloblastic anemia, the number of reticulocytes also increases significantly after treatment with iron supplements and folic acid and vitamin B12. Reduced reticulocytes indicate reduced bone marrow hematopoiesis, the most common disorder being aplastic anemia.