Ultrastructural characterization of otospongiotic lesions in re-embedded celloidin sections

A technique of using re-embedded celloidin sections for ultrastructural analysis was used for the study of otospongiosis in human temporal bones. Celloidin sections stored in 80% alcohol with active lesions of cochlear otospongiosis were processed and re-embedded in epoxy resin. Semithin and thin sections were cut and analysed for a characterization of the ultrastructural cellular histopathology. The predominant cell types were found to be osteoblasts/osteocytes and macrophages. Lymphocytes were also noted but were rare. Several osteoblasts showed signs of active collagen and bone matrix production, indicative of ongoing new bone formation and repair. Macrophages often interacted physically to form cell clusters. The macrophages were frequently observed to endocytose the non-mineralized bone matrix as well as to degrade mononuclear cells presumed to represent osteoblasts. The observations may support the notion that increased osteolysis in active ostospongiosis is partly caused by a recruited osteoclast activity and partly by an impaired bone repair mechanism due to a macrophage digestion of osteoblast-deposited non-mineralized bone matrix. These two conditions may act in concert with cellular degradation of bone-producing cells.