Proliferation of the characteristic histiocyte of histiocytosis X in the skin.
The proliferation of the characteristic histiocyte of histiocytosis X in the skin of a patient with localized lesions of Hand-Schüller-Christian disease has been studied by counting cells in mitosis and cells that incorporated tritiated thymidine. The mitotic index was very low although about one-quarter of the cells were synthesizing DNA. In the deep dermis, many eosinophils were associated with a decreased tendency of the characteristic cells to synthesize DNA. We conclude that in this patient with a localized type of histiocytosis X, the characteristic cells are stimulated to enter the S phase when they are situated close to the epidermis, but there is no evidence that they divide in the skin subsequently.
D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008938:Mitosis; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D004247:DNA