Ultrastructure of macroglobulinemia cells.

Abstract

Electronmicroscopic observation was performed on four cases with macro-globulinemia Waldenstrom. Although both the peripheral and bone marrow blood pictures were different in each case, lymphocytes dominated in all cases. In two cases, a number of plasma cells and a few atypical lymphocytes were also recognized. The lymphocytes usually did not show any specific features, except for some aggregation of a large number of ribosomes without regular arrangement. Plasma cells had well-developed granular endoplasmic reticulums in lamellar, globular or dilated form and ribosomes often formed well-arranged polysomes like a rosette. Atypical lymphocytes contained prominent nucleolus and abundant ribosomes which formed polysomes unlike the rosette shape. Though the filamentous structure was not unusual, neither fibrillar formation nor crystalline structure was recognized in all cell types. From the ultrastructural point of view, plasma cells would be able to produce the immunoglobulin. Atypical lymphocytes may be also capable of immunoglobulin production. Though the lymphocytes were less likely to be globulin-producing cells, their overwhelming frequency and fluorescent microscopic observation suggested their participation in globulin production. The lymphocytes with a massive aggregation of ribosomes may have some relation to globulin production. In conclusion, it was not confirmed that the cells of macroglobulinemia had any specific type of ultrastructural features.