Adult cystinosis: electron microscopy of the conjunctiva.
An ultrastructural study was made on the conjunctiva of a 38-year-old man with adult cystinosis. Intracellular cystine crystals were found not only in fibroblasts but also in numerous macrophages. Both fibroblasts and macrophages showed increased pinocytosis. Occasionally there were macrophage degenerations with extracellular cystine crystals present. Whether this increased macrophage reaction indicates a specific difference to childhood cystinosis remains a matter of speculation.
D000328:Adult; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003554:Cystinosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron