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Morphological evidence for a motile behavior by plasma cells.
Z N Berneman1, Z Z Chen, M E Peetermans
1Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, University of Antwerp (UIA), Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.
Leukemia
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Plasma cells exhibit motility-associated features, including axon-like extensions, in both human long-term bone marrow cultures (HLTBMCs) and original bone marrow (BM) samples. These findings suggest in vivo and in vitro motility in normal and cancerous plasma cells.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Plasma cells are terminally differentiated B lymphocytes.
- Their morphology and function in various conditions are areas of ongoing research.
- Motility in plasma cells is not a widely recognized characteristic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novel motility-associated morphological features in plasma cells.
- To determine if these features are present in vitro and in vivo.
- To observe these features in both normal and malignant plasma cells.
Main Methods:
- Immunofluorescence microscopy of human long-term bone marrow cultures (HLTBMCs).
- Morphological analysis of May-Grünwald-Giemsa stained bone marrow (BM) smears.
- Comparison of normal and myelomatous bone marrow samples.
Main Results:
- HLTBMCs revealed plasma cells with surface blebs and long, axon-like extensions.
- Similar extensions were observed in uncultured BM smears from normal and myelomatous individuals.
- Features were most pronounced in a case of plasma cell leukemia.
Conclusions:
- Plasma cells possess motility-associated morphological features, including axon-like extensions.
- These features are observable both in vitro (HLTBMCs) and in vivo (BM smears).
- The findings suggest a previously unrecognized aspect of plasma cell behavior in normal and malignant states.