title: Ultrastructure of cutaneous cellular infiltrates in scleroderma.
abstract: Electron microscopy of the skin was performed in ten patients with systemic and four with localized scleroderma. The following three groups of cells were identified: (1) mature lymphocytes, T lymphoblasts, immature plasma cells, and plasma cells; (2) fibroblasts, fibrocytes, and fibroblast-like cells; and (3) macrophages, undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, and monocytes. Inthose specimens with mononuclear cell infiltrates, the most common cells were lymphocytic-types, macrophages, and fibroblasts with well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. In the specimens at the fibrotic stage, fibroblasts and histiocytic-type cells predominated. This study suggests that cellular and humoral immunity may play a role in the pathophysiology of scleroderma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000648:ultrastructure*