[Cytochemical study of macrophages in sarcoidosis patients in skin window exudates]

The development of skin-window macrophages was studied in four untreated patients suffering from sarcoidosis by cytochemical assessment of the acid phosphatase activity. The results obtained in these patients were compared with those of healthy volunteers. Appearance of the focal acid phosphatase-activity in the Golgi area was delayed in patients with sarcoidosis. A decreased amount of activity in mature macrophages was also demonstrated depending on the clinical activity of the disease. Patients with hypothyroidism showed the same cytochemical pattern. In contrast to these results, no significant difference in the development of acid phosphatase activity was found in patients with tuberculosis as compared to healthy volunteers. Our observations confirm the hypothesis that the functional disorder of monocytes is, at least, a partial pathogenetic mechanism of sarcoidosis.