Heinz bodies do not appear on a peripheral blood smear stained with a Wright or Wright-Giemsa stain. A supravital stain, such as brilliant green, crystal violet, or new methylene blue, is necessary for them to be observed.
Heinz bodies are composed of denatured hemoglobin, which occurs when an individual is exposed to oxidizing chemicals. They are commonly associated with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and other red cell enzyme disorders.
