Myeloma cells: surface morphology as seen by scanning and transmission electron microscopy

Cells from cultured murine myeloma cell lines and circulating leukemic plasma cells from two patients with generalized myeloma were studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Both circulating and cultured cells exhibited consistent surface architectures. Microvilli and varying numbers of prominent blebs of different sizes were seen. The presence of surface blebs is a characteristic feature of secreting and nonsecreting myeloma cells.