The epithelium and chronic inflammatory cells in scleroma. (An electron microscopic study)

The ultrastructure of 15 cases or rhinoscleroma have been studied. The epithelium showed intercellular edema, a reaction to the polysaccharide coat of intact bacilli, passing through defects in the basal lamina and subsequently inviting polymorph migration. The transitional stages between normal and 'reactive' plasma cells to the formation of the Russell body and the Unna cell were demonstrated, thus supporting the theory of an intracellular formation of the Russell bodies.