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Medical Definition of Jolly bodies
1. Spherical or ovoid eccentrically located granules, approximately 1 um in diameter, occasionally observed in the stroma of circulating erythrocytes, especially in stained preparations (as compared with wet unstained films); probably represent nuclear remnants, inasmuch as they can be stained with dyes that are rather specific for chromatin; the significance of the body's is not exactly known; they occur most frequently after splenectomy or in megaloblastic or severe haemolytic anaemia. Synonym: Jolly bodies. (05 Mar 2000)