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Anitschkow myocytes or cardiac histiocytes in human hearts.Pathology.
1999 May;31(2):98-101.
The
caterpillar chromatin pattern of the nucleus in longitudinal
section and owl-eye appearance in transverse section characterize
the Anitschkow cell of Aschoff bodies in rheumatic heart disease.
Determining whether it is of muscle origin or cardiac histiocyte
has been a source of controversy for many years. In a study of
fetal and neonatal hearts from humans, vesicular nuclei often
displaying the Anitschkow chromatin pattern were the predominant
cell type in the myocardium. Because a similar pattern was also
observed in two cell types related to laryngeal cartilage and the
neighbouring fibrous tissue in a six week old neonate, it was
concluded that the Anitschkow chromatin pattern probably indicates
cellular immaturity rather than any specific cell type.
Aschoff bodies
of rheumatic carditis are granulomatous lesions of histiocytic
origin.Mod
Pathol. 1988 Jul;1(4):256-61.
The
histogenesis of the Aschoff body of rheumatic carditis is
controversial. Proliferative Aschoff bodies in heart sections from
6 patients with acute rheumatic heart disease were tested by
avidin-biotin peroxidase labeling methods for the presence of
desmin, muscle-specific actin, S-100, neurofilament, leukocyte
common antigen, receptor for Ulex europeus I lectin, Factor
VIII-related antigen, vimentin, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and
myeloid/histiocyte antigen. Lack of Aschoff body labeling for
desmin and muscle-specific actin, S-100 and neurofilament, and
Ulex europeus I and Factor VIII-related antigen is not consistent
with histogenesis from smooth or striated cardiac muscle, nerve or
nerve sheath, and lymphatic or vascular endothelium, respectively.
Strong labeling of Aschoff body cells for vimentin is evidence for
a mesenchymal origin, and labeling for myeloid/histiocyte antigen
is consistent with a histiocytic origin. Furthermore, weak,
variable labeling of Aschoff body cells for leukocyte common
antigen suggests that at least some Aschoff body cells were
originally derived from blood-borne monocytes. Both multinucleated
Aschoff cells and "owl's eye," Anitschkow cells label identically,
suggesting a common origin. Alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin, a widely
utilized marker of histiocytes, was unexpectedly negative. Perhaps
histiocytes that form Aschoff bodies do not express this lysosomal
enzyme. Aschoff bodies appear to be a unique and distinctive form
of granuloma. |