Alder-Reilly anomaly is a rare autosomal recessive disorder in which the basic defect involves protein-carbohydrate complexes called mucopolysaccharides. The accumulation of partially degraded (broken down) protein-carbohydrate complexes within the lysosomes account for the larger than normal purple-staining inclusions seen in all types of mature white blood cells, and sometimes in earlier cells.
The granules may occur in clusters, rather than diffusely, throughout the cytoplasm as in toxic granulation. These inclusions may be seen in the bone marrow more frequently than in peripheral blood. The physical characteristics associated with this disorder include gargoylism and dwarfism. The function of the cells involved is not affected.
This morphological change would be classified as pathological since the body is responding abnormally even though the function is not affected.
