Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 24, 2026

An In Vitro Model for the Study of Cellular Pathophysiology in Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy
07:45

An In Vitro Model for the Study of Cellular Pathophysiology in Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy

Published on: October 21, 2014

Multinucleated giant cells

J M Anderson1

  • 1Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.

Current Opinion in Hematology
|December 23, 1999
PubMed

Insights

This study explores the molecular basis of multinucleated giant cell formation, detailing how cytokines like Interleukin-4 and Interferon-gamma induce different cell types. It highlights distinct pathways for foreign body giant cells, Langhans

Area of Science:

  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) play diverse roles in physiology and pathology.
  • Understanding the differentiation pathways of MGCs is crucial for various biological processes.
  • Monocyte-macrophage fusion is a key event in MGC formation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the formation and function of monocyte-derived multinucleated giant cells.
  • To describe the formation of HIV-1-infected T-lymphocyte syncytia and the role of adhesion molecules.
  • To present models for foreign body giant cell and Langhans' giant cell formation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies on monocyte-derived multinucleated giant cell biology.
  • Analysis of cytokine induction (Interleukin-4, Interleukin-13, Interferon-gamma) of monocyte-macrophage fusion.
  • Investigation of substrate surface chemistry effects on cell adhesion and fusion.
  • Examination of osteoclast biology, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha regulation.

Main Results:

  • Interleukin-4 or Interleukin-13 induces monocyte-macrophage fusion, modeling foreign body giant cells.
  • Interferon-gamma induces monocyte-macrophage fusion, modeling Langhans' giant cells.
  • Surface chemistry influences monocyte-macrophage adhesion and fusion for foreign body giant cells.
  • Tumor necrosis factor-alpha regulates osteoclast bone resorption and activation pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Foreign body giant cells, Langhans' giant cells, and osteoclasts originate from monocyte progenitors but exhibit distinct formation mechanisms.
  • Cytokines, receptors, and biologic activities differentially regulate the differentiation of these multinucleated giant cells.
  • Adhesion molecule/ligand interactions are significant in T-lymphocyte syncytia formation in HIV-1 infection.

More Related Videos

Development and Identification of a Novel Subpopulation of Human Neutrophil-derived Giant Phagocytes In Vitro10:05

Development and Identification of a Novel Subpopulation of Human Neutrophil-derived Giant Phagocytes In Vitro

Published on: January 25, 2017

An Immunohistopathologic Study to Profile the Folate Receptor Beta Macrophage and Vascular Immune Microenvironment in Giant Cell Arteritis06:35

An Immunohistopathologic Study to Profile the Folate Receptor Beta Macrophage and Vascular Immune Microenvironment in Giant Cell Arteritis

Published on: February 8, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
Cell Diversity01:13

Cell Diversity

The concept of a cell started with microscopic observations of dead cork tissue by Robert Hooke in 1665. Hooke coined the term "cell" based on the resemblance of the small subdivisions in the cork to the rooms that monks inhabited, called cells. About ten years later, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek became the first person to observe the living and moving cells under a microscope. In the century that followed, the theory that cells represented the basic unit of life developed.
Multicellular organisms...
Bone Cells and Tissue01:30

Bone Cells and Tissue

Bones contain a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of organic and inorganic components. Although bone cells compose only a small amount of the bone volume, they are crucial to its function. Four types of cells are found within the bone tissue— osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteogenic cells, and osteoclasts.
Osteoblasts and Osteocytes
The osteoblast is the bone cell responsible for forming new bone tissue. It is found in the growing portions of bone, including the periosteum and...
Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal Muscles01:13

Microscopic Anatomy of Skeletal Muscles

Skeletal muscle cells, also called muscle fibers, are distinctly elongated, multi-nucleated, slender biological units. They are packed with specialized structures designed to facilitate their primary function, which is contraction.
The muscle sarcolemma is a plasma membrane enclosing each muscle cell that conducts electrical signals called action potentials. The sarcolemma extends into the cell to form T-tubules, ensuring the neural impulses are uniformly distributed across the entire muscle...
Classification of Leukocytes01:30

Classification of Leukocytes

Leukocytes are classified into two groups based on the presence or absence of cytoplasmic granules. Granular leukocytes, which contain granules, belong to the myeloid lineage and are divided into three subtypes: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. These cells are roughly spherical and characterized by the granules in their cytoplasm.
Neutrophils are the most abundant type of granular leukocytes, comprising 50-70% of all leukocytes. They feature small, evenly distributed granules and a...
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...