Structure of Lymphocytic Scries of Cells in Relation to Disease 261 



functions: it can be free or in syncytium, it can shed its cytoplasm in anti- 

 body formation as shown by Sabin, 52 it can become more basophilic and 

 blastlike (Figs. 19-7 through 19-10) to become an hematopoietic reticulum 

 cell and thus form lvmphoblasts and the entire lymphocytic series, or it can 

 become immediately phagocytic if need be and function as a fixed or free 

 macrophage. 



RETICULUM CELLS 



In Table 19-2 are listed some of the more important diseases affecting the 

 reticulum cell as a reticulum cell or affecting the monocytes and macro- 

 Table 19-2. The More Important Diseases Affecting the Reticulum Cell 



RETICULUM CELL 



(Mesenchymal cell) 



1. Reticulum cell 

 sarcoma 



2. Hodgkin's disease 



3. Letterer-Siwe's 

 disease 



4. Ewing's tumor? 



MONOBLAST 



11. Acute monocytic 

 leukemia (Schilling) 



MONOCYTE 



1. Chronic monocytic 

 leukemia (Naegeli) 

 (Myeloblast cell of origin) 



macrophage (Histiocyte) 



1. Gaucher's disease 



2. Niemann-Pick's disease 



3. Hand-Schuller 

 Christian disease 



4. Whipple's disease 



phages which it is capable of forming. In Figure 19-1 the inactive mother 

 cell of the lymphocytic tissues is shown with its large cell body measuring 

 from 15 to 25 ^ in diameter. The abundant cytoplasm of the inactive 

 reticulum cell may be pale to dark blue in color, and it may be homogeneous 

 or mottled with abundant, colorless, or slightly acidophilic hyaloplasm. The 

 cytoplasmic to nuclear ratio favors the cytoplasm. Fine or large azurophilic 

 granules may or may not be present. Its nucleus may be round, oval, or 

 reniform, but rarely is it indented. The nuclear membrane is moderately 

 thin, and the inactive reticular nucleus is small in size. The chromatin pat- 

 tern of the nucleus is composed of an irregular network or stipple of violet 

 strands or granules; the interstices are irregular, angular, and unequal in 

 size and are filled with a small amount of pink or blue parachromatiu. 

 distinct from the chromatin. None or from one to six, usually from three to 

 six, small, irregular or angular, poorly delimited, blue nucleoli can be 

 found. In spite of its inactive appearance, it is immediately phagocytic 

 when needed. The reader should consult Plate XXXI of Diss's atlas 12 for 



