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 Heinz bodies to be observed.
Heinz bodies are composed of denatured hemoglobin. This occurs when an individual is exposed to oxidizing chemicals. Heinz bodies are commonly associated with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and other red cell enzyme disorders.
