Erythrophagocytosis in acute myeloblastic leukaemia: a morphological and ultrastructural study
Gori-Bergamini, Z.; Spremolla, G.
Haematologica 64(5): 597-610
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0390-6078 PMID: 116920 Document Number: 148277
Erythrophagocytosis by myeloblasts was observed in a case of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) during the terminal erythroleukemic stage of the sickness. The rarity of this phenomenon was emphasized. It was observed only in one of 57 cases of acute leukemias followed by cytochemical and ultrastructural studies. Pathological myeloblasts were characterized morphologically by very immature aspects. From an ultrastructural point of view, phagocytic cells presented the atypical aspects of the leukemic blasts: anomalies of nuclei and nucleoli, asynchronous maturation of cytoplasm, peculiar arrangement and development of the cisternae of the granular endoplasmic reticulum and unusual cytoplasmic inclusions. Ultrastructural findings and the phagocytosis process itself were discussed in relation to the seriousness and to the rapid evolutive course of the sickness.