Multilobular reticulocyte (top left panel), the precursor of the mature discoid red cell (top right panel). A red cell traversing from the splenic cord to splenic sinus (bottom left panel). Note the marked deformation the cell undergoes during its passage through the narrow endothelial slit separating the cord from the sinus. Ellipsoidal cells generated in vitro by flow-induced deformation in vitro of discoid cells (bottom right panel).