Ultrastructure of hematoxylin bodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

Two specimens, the first from a percutaneous renal biopsy and the second autopsy tissue of ovary, from two subjects with active systemic lupus erythematosus were found to contain many striking hematoxylin bodies in the walls of several small arteries. The specimens were reprocessed for electron microscopy; in one case, corresponding plastic embedded sections were also stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Feulgen stain. Hematoxylin bodies were easily identified on electron microscopy. They were found to be dense, homogeneous structures, approximately the size of a nucleus. They probably represent mainly altered nuclear material with occasional small chromatin remnants or minor cytoplasmic inclusions.