Cytomorphological aspects of iron-containing plasma cells in hematological disorders
Tomasi, P.; Lucchi, T.; Ferrari, L.; Scapoli, G.; Spanedda, R.; Castoldi, G.
Haematologica 72(4): 371-373
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0390-6078 PMID: 3117640 Document Number: 304686
The presence of hemosiderin deposits in plasma cells has been reported occasionally in the literature. A survey of 1072 consecutively performed bone marrow aspirations demonstrated hemosiderin in the plasma cells of four patients (sideroblastic anemia, acute myeloid leukemia associated with posthepatitic cirrhosis, acute lymphoblastic leukemia in homozygous .beta.-thalassemia, multiple myeloma). Hemosiderin deposition was assessed by means of cytochemical (Prussian blue reaction), immunocytochemical (anti-ferritin antisera), and electron microscopy technique. This feature does not appear to be correlated with iron phagocytosis by plasma cells, but usually with the accumulation of hemosiderin deposits at the lysosomal level in conditons of iron overload.