[Ultrastructural and histochemical studies of late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy]

Ultrastructure of cellular inclusions in the cerebral cortex and in renal tubule epithelial cells in a case of late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy were investigated. Four patterns of shape were illustrated as multi-lamellated structure, zebra bodies, dense bodies and vacuoles with the two latter being more predominant in the renal tubule cells. Histochemical studies of the cellular deposits with toluidine blue and cresyl violet all revealed metachromatic in character. Significance of these findings and their pathogenesis were discussed.