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Biomedical subjects

S A Stass

Publications and source records attributed to S A Stass.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Abnormalities of bone marrow simulating histiocytic medullary reticulosis in a patient with gastric carcinoma.

In the proper clinical setting, phagocytosis by bone marrow histiocytes of erythrocytes, granulocytes, and platelets (panphagocytosis) is generally accepted as the morphologic hallmark of histiocytic medullary reticulosis. A patient with clinical manifestations that suggested histiocytic medullary reticulosis was found also to have histiocytic panphagocytosis in the bone marrow. Biopsy of the liver, however, revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma. In addition, postmortem examination demonstrated a gastric adenocarcinoma with massive hepatic involvement and absence of lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, or evidence of generalized histiocytic proliferation. Therefore, histiocytic panphagocytosis is probably not specific for histiocytic medullary reticulosis, and may be a nonspecific feature of a variety of diseases.

Bone Marrow↗

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, hand-mirror variant. A detailed ultrastructural study.

The hand-mirror cell in acute lymphoblastic leukemia may have important immunologic, pathogenic, and prognostic implications. To learn more about this cell, a detailed ultrastructural analysis was performed. Fifty electronmicrographs of lymphoblasts from an untreated patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia with numerous hand-mirror cells in the bone marrow were compared with 60 electronmicrographs of lymphoblasts from six patients with classic acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The unique qualitative ultrastructural features of the hand-mirror cells were the presence of undamaged mitochondria and uropods (handles) with terminal microspikes containing circular organized arrangement of 50-A microfilaments. Quantitative differences between hand-mirror cells and lymphoblasts were observed in nuclear perimeters (P less than 0.0001), nuclear lengths (P less than 0.001), cytoplasmic lengths (P less than 0.0002), nuclear-cytoplasmic length ratios (P less than 0.0001), and numbers of mitochondria (P less than 0.002). These findings indicate that hand-mirror cells contain ultrastructural components that are related to cell motility and the immunologic process. These results are significant in that the hand-mirror cells may be associated with an immunologic mechanism that is involved in leukemogenesis.

Cell Nucleolus↗

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase immunofluorescence of bone marrow smears: experience in 156 cases.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) is a valuable marker for non-B-, non-T-, and T-cell lymphoblastic disorders. Determination of TdT activity by enzymatic assay is laborious and requires fresh cells. The authors evaluated a new technic for TdT determination, using indirect immunofluorescence on air-dried bone marrow smears. Specimens from 156 consecutive patients with hematologic, oncologic, and other disease states were tested. The TdT visualization by indirect immunofluorescence gives results comparable to those previously reported for lymphoproliferative disorders. Several unusual cases with positive TdT were uncovered. TdT by indirect immunofluorescence is a convenient and rapid technic that enables easier access to TdT determinations than the enzymatic assay.

Bone Marrow↗

Uropod-bearing lymphocytes (hand mirror cells) in a virus-induced murine lymphoma.

A Moloney murine leukemia virus-induced T-cell preleukemic thymic lymphoma tissue culture from an inbred C3H/HeJ mouse contained numerous hand mirror cells (HMC). The cells were studied by light and phase-contrast microscopy, special stains, indirect immunofluorescence for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The uropods of the mouse and human HMC were similar. In contrast, viruses were noted on the tip of the mouse HMC uropod by transmission electron microscopy. These observations, reported for the first time in an animal model, will enable investigators to study the HMC under controlled conditions.

Animals↗

Cytoplasmic fragments causing spurious platelet counts in the leukemic phase of poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma.

A patient with a leukemic phase of poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma had a spuriously high automated platelet count because of cytoplasmic fragments. The number and relative percentage of cytoplasmic fragments increased during chemotherapy. The cytoplasmic fragments did not interfere with platelet aggregation using adenosine diphosphate, collagen, and epinephrine even though they were found in platelet-rich plasma. The ultrastructure of the cytoplasmic fragments is discussed. Cytoplasmic fragments as a cause of spuriously high automated platelet counts should be considered in cases of leukemic patients.

Adult↗

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia--hand mirror cell variant: a detailed cytological and ultrastructural study with an analysis of the immunologic surface markers.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia was observed in a 22-year-old white female patient and was manifested by normal palelet counts, 50--60% hand mirror cells (HMC) in the bone marrow, and prolonged survival without treatment. The characteristic neoplastic cell had a nucleus within the "mirror" portion and a cytoplasmic uropod forming the "handle" portion. The presence of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase activity suggested that the cell was a T cell lymphoblast. However, extensive immunologic surface marker studies indicated the cells were non-T, non-B. Terminal transferase activity further supported the lymphoid nature of the cell. The hand mirrow cells were considered a real phenomenon since they were demonstrated on phase contrast microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The cells did not grow in tissue culture and cytogenetics revealed a normal female karyotype. From the above observations, the HMC is a lymphoblast with morphological, cytochemical, and immunological features which may differentiate it from the usual cell in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Therefore, cases involving increased numbers of hand mirror cells in the bone marrow and acute lymphoblastic leukemia require further investigation to elucidate the full importance of this cell. This study represents the first attempt to investigate this cell in detail.

Binding Sites↗

American Burkitt's lymphoma-hand-mirror variant. A detailed investigation of cytologic, ultrastructural, and immunologic features.

Previous studies of patients with lymphoid malignancies have suggested a relationship between survival and the presence of more than 40% hard-mirror cells in the bone marrow. This report represents the first detailed study of a patient with American Burkitt's lymphoma with numerous hand-mirror cells in the bone marrow during the course of the disease. The Burkitt cells were atypical because of their hand-mirror configuration in the bone marrow, the presence of cytoplasmic glycogen, the finding of an IgG surface marker, and a strongly positive acid phosphatase staining reaction. The presence of increased numbers of hand-mirror forms in the bone marrow during the course of the patient's illness may have clinical significance, because they were replaced by non-hand-mirror Burkitt cells in the terminal phase. More reports and investigations of patients with large numbers of hand-mirror forms in the bone marrow are needed to elucidate the full significance of this unusual cellular phenomenon.

Adult↗