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Hematology and Clinical Microscopy Glossary - College of American ...

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Eosinophils exhibit the same nuclear characteristics<br />

<strong>and</strong> the same stages <strong>of</strong> development as neutrophilic<br />

leukocytes. Immature eosinophils are rarely seen in the<br />

blood, but they are found in bone marrow smears. They<br />

may have fewer granules than more mature forms.<br />

The earliest recognizable eosinophilic form by light<br />

microscopy is the eosinophilic myelocyte. Eosinophilic<br />

myelocytes <strong>of</strong>ten contain a few dark purplish granules in<br />

addition to the orange-red secondary granules.<br />

Eosinophil, Any Stage With a<br />

Typical/Basophilic Granules<br />

Eosinophils with atypical/basophilic granules are<br />

typically the same size as their normal counterparts.<br />

Any stage <strong>of</strong> eosinophilic maturation may be affected<br />

<strong>and</strong> is more commonly seen in the promyelocyte <strong>and</strong><br />

myelocyte stage. The abnormal granules resemble<br />

basophilic granules <strong>and</strong> are purple-violet in color <strong>and</strong><br />

usually larger than normal eosinophilic granules at<br />

the immature stages. These atypical granules are<br />

usually admixed with normal eosinophilic granules in the<br />

cytoplasm. Although the atypical granules resemble<br />

basophilic granules they differ from normal basophilic<br />

granules by lacking myeloperoxidase <strong>and</strong> toluidine blue<br />

reactivity.<br />

Eosinophils with atypical/basophilic granules (also<br />

referred to as harlequin cells) are associated with<br />

clonal myeloid disorders <strong>and</strong> are most <strong>of</strong>ten seen in<br />

acute myeloid leukemia with the recurrent cytogenetic<br />

abnormality involving CBFB-MYH11, inv(16)(p13.1q22) or<br />

t(16;16)(q13.1;q22) <strong>and</strong> chronic myelogenous leukemia<br />

(CML)<br />

Mast Cell<br />

The mast cell is a large (15 to 30 μm) round or elliptical<br />

cell with a small, round nucleus <strong>and</strong> abundant cytoplasm<br />

packed with black, bluish black, or reddish purple<br />

metachromatic granules. Normal mast cells are differentiated<br />

from blood basophils by the fact that they are<br />

larger (<strong>of</strong>ten twice the size <strong>of</strong> blood basophils), have<br />

more abundant cytoplasm, <strong>and</strong> have round rather than<br />

segmented nuclei. The cytoplasmic granules are smaller,<br />

more numerous, more uniform in appearance, <strong>and</strong> less<br />

water-extractable than basophil cytoplasmic granules.<br />

Although both mast cells <strong>and</strong> basophils are primarily<br />

involved in allergic <strong>and</strong> anaphylactic reactions via<br />

release <strong>of</strong> bioactive substances through degranulation,<br />

the content <strong>of</strong> their granules is not identical. Both mast<br />

cell <strong>and</strong> basophil granules can be differentiated from<br />

neutrophilic granules by positive staining with toluidine<br />

blue in the former.<br />

Mast Cell, Atypical, Spindled<br />

Bone Marrow Cell Identification<br />

Atypical mast cells may exhibit a variety <strong>of</strong> morphologic<br />

<strong>and</strong> architectural features which are not typically<br />

seen in normal/reactive mast cells in bone marrow<br />

specimens. Atypical mast cell morphology includes<br />

elongation <strong>and</strong> spindled cytoplasm, cytoplasmic<br />

hypogranularity, nuclei with immature blast-like<br />

chromatin <strong>and</strong> bilobated or multilobated nuclei.<br />

The number <strong>of</strong> atypical mast cells seen in an aspirate<br />

smear may be less than that in the biopsy due to<br />

associated fibrosis. However, increased numbers <strong>of</strong><br />

atypical mast cells seen singly as well as in clusters <strong>and</strong><br />

sheets may be appreciated in the aspirate smear.<br />

Architectural features are thus typically appreciated<br />

in the bone marrow biopsy <strong>and</strong> include perivascular<br />

<strong>and</strong> / or paratrabecular aggregates <strong>of</strong> mast cells.<br />

These atypical morphological <strong>and</strong> architectural findings<br />

are seen in a clonal neoplastic mast cell disease known<br />

as mastocytosis. Mastocytosis may be either cutaneous<br />

or systemic. Systemic disease <strong>of</strong>ten involves the bone<br />

marrow. Further subclassification is defined by the<br />

distribution <strong>of</strong> the neoplastic mast cells <strong>and</strong> the<br />

associated clinical, laboratory <strong>and</strong> molecular<br />

genetic findings.<br />

Monocyte<br />

Monocytes are slightly larger than neutrophils, 12 to 20<br />

μm in diameter. The majority <strong>of</strong> monocytes are round<br />

with smooth edges, but some have pseudopod-like<br />

cytoplasmic extensions. The cytoplasm is abundant <strong>and</strong><br />

gray to gray-blue (ground-glass appearance) <strong>and</strong> may<br />

contain fine, evenly distributed, azurophilic granules<br />

or vacuoles. The nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio is 4:1 to<br />

2:1. The nucleus is usually indented, <strong>of</strong>ten resembling a<br />

three-pointed hat, but it can also be folded or<br />

b<strong>and</strong>-like. The chromatin is condensed, but less dense<br />

than that <strong>of</strong> a neutrophil or lymphocyte. Nucleoli are<br />

generally absent, but occasional monocytes may<br />

contain a small, inconspicuous nucleolus.<br />

Monocytes, Immature (Promonocyte,<br />

Monoblast)<br />

For purposes <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>iciency testing, selection <strong>of</strong> the<br />

response “monocyte, immature (promonocyte,<br />

monoblast)” should be reserved for malignant cells<br />

in acute monocytic/monoblastic leukemia, acute<br />

myelomonocytic leukemia, chronic myelomonocytic<br />

leukemia, <strong>and</strong> myelodysplastic states. While normal<br />

immature monocytes may be identified in marrow<br />

aspirates, they are generally inconspicuous <strong>and</strong> don’t<br />

resemble the cells described in this section. The<br />

800-323-4040 | 847-832-7000 Option 1 | cap.org<br />

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