Cytoskeletal control of nuclear arrangement in Langhans multinucleate giant cells

Examination of the role of the cytoskeleton in macrophage polykarya (multinucleate giant cells) has established that microfilaments and microtubules are interrelated and contractile cytoskeletal components with opposing actions; when critically maintained at equilibrium, they are responsible for maintenance of the highly organized cellular architecture characteristic of Langhans type syncytia. Disruption of the function of these structures by in vitro incubation with cytochalasin B and/or colchicine can result in reversion to a cytoarchitecture which is more typical of the 'foreign body' multinucleate giant cell. These observations strongly reinforce previous suggestions that Langhans multinucleate giant cells are special, more highly organized forms than are 'foreign body' multinucleate giant cells.