Transmission and scanning electron microscopy study on plasma cell leukemia

The peripheral blood cells of a patient with acute plasma cell leukemia were examined with transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopes. The TEM features of the immature plasma cells comprised lobulated and irregulary shaped nuclei, with scanty heterochromating and bizarre nucleoli, parallel arrays of endoplasmic reticulum, cytoplasmic fibrils and numerous polymorphic mitochondria. SEM examination of the cells showed long, thin irregular ruffles, or round blebs on the cell surface, with appearance different from this observed on other types of leukemia. A remarkable clinical and hematological remission was achieved with administration of melphalan and steroids.