DIFFERENTIATION OF BLOOD CELLS WITH PHASE CONTRAST MICROSCOPE

Abstract

The observation of the blood cells by means of phase contrast microscopy has recently been very common. For the purpose of making the phase contrast more effective and continuing the vital observation as long as possible, we observed the bone marrow, in the same medium with our simple culture method, with a compression so that each cell could be arranged as one layer. The phase contrast microscopes were made by Nippon Kogaku K. K. and Olympus Kogaku K. K. The myeloblasts have cell bodies with well-defined cytoplasmic borders, without any specific granule, and their vesicular mitochondria don't form any distinct shape. Their nuclear membranes are highly refractile, and their nucleoli are moderately refractile, being clearly observed. Promyelocytes have specific granules with high refractivity. Their spherical mitochondria are different-sized and scattered in the cytoplasm. Their nuclear membranes are highly refractile with clearly visible nucleoli. In the myelocytes, highly refractile specific granules and a little greater spherieal mitochondria are observed. Their nuclear membranes are highly refractile, with rough and highly refractile chromatin network. In the monoblasts, the cytoplasm is broader than other blasts and has a little indistinctly defined irregular border, and vesicular mitochondria in it, without any specific granules. The nuclear membranes are thinner and less refractile with delicate chromatin network and clearly visible greater nucleoli of moderate refractivity. Promonocytes have much broader cytoplasm and few moderately refractile specific granules. Their mitochondria are fine and spherical or a little elongated, surrounding the nucleus, whose membrane is thinner and less refractile with different sized nucleoli of higher refractivity. Lymphoblasts are smaller than other blasts with narrower cytoplasm, in which spherical mitochondria are clearly visible and specific granules are observed. Their nucleoli are a little highly refractile. From these characteristics above-mentioned, immature blood cells can easily be differentiated, thus the vital observations benefit not only the diagnosis of leukemia, but also the research of fine structures of the cells.