Studies of eosinophil medusa cells by electron imaging modes

Medusa cells, amoeboid variants of the eosinophil with pseudopod-like processes, were examined by light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the secondary electron imaging (SEI) and the backscattered electron imaging (BEI) modes of the scanning electron microscope. TEM was performed on rare medusa cells found in leukocyte concentrate preparations where the ion contents of the collection and fixation media were balanced so that divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium were not sequestered. LM, SEI and BEI studies were performed principally on cytochemically-stained films of leukocyte concentrate preparations on microscope slides or coverslips. These films of patients with eosinophilia contained many medusa cells and much higher ratios of medusa cells to eosinophils than critical point-dried specimens, if they were prepared as for routine hematologic examination, and precautions were taken to insure that calcium and magnesium ions in collection and fixation media were not sequestered. After brief glutaraldehyde fixation, the smears were stained with either osmium tetramethylethylenediamine (Os-TMEDA) for acid mucopolysaccharides, or 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB)/hydrogen peroxide medium for peroxidases. The Os-TMEDA was sufficiently conductive for SEM. Chelation of the oxidatively-polymerized DAB dye with copper nitrate rendered it conductive. These conductive and electron-opaque stains permitted the correlation of SEI with BEI on individual cells, their unambiguous identification as eosinophils or medusa cells and their differentiation from other leukocytes by virtue of content and/or size of their granules and their degree of nuclear segmentation.