Development of the granule population in neutrophil granulocytes from human bone marrow

Bone marrow from hematologically healthy adults was exposed to a number of fixation procedures for investigation of the heterogeneity of the granule population in neutrophil granulocytes at the ultrastructural level. Four main cell stages were distinguished: early promyelocyte, late promyelocyte, myelocyte, and mature neutrophil granulocyte and described separately; metamyelocytes and band-form or stab cells are described together. The characteristic changes in the cytoplasm during myelopoiesis were analysed quantitatively. Special attention was given to the development of the granule population. Three types of granule arise in successive cell stages: granules which develop a sub-structure in the matrix (nucleated granules) are formed in early promyelocytes, granules with a homogeneous electron-dense matrix (azurophil granules) in late promyelocytes, and granules with a less electron-dense matrix (specific granules) in myelocytes. The three types of granule remain present during myelopoiesis. The best results in distinguishing the granule types were obtained by prefixation either in 0.1% glutaraldehyde or in 1.5% glutaraldehyde followed by washing in phosphate-buffered Ringer solution to which aminotriazole had been added. Granule counts revealed for the mature neutrophil a total number of granules of about 220 per ultrathin section. This population of granules is composed of about 12% nucleated, 11% azurophil, and 77% specific granules. When our previous findings are taken into account, the existence of three successively formed and morphologically distinguishable types of granule in heterophil (neutrophil) granulocytes has been demonstrated for three mammalian species: the guinea pig, the rat, and man. A separate term for the early promyelocyte stage is proposed: eomyelocyte.