title: Surface characteristics of adherent avian cells; extrapolation of in vitro characteristics to cells on atherosclerotic lesions.
abstract: Through the use of correlative Wright's stain and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the distinguishing surface characteristics of adherent pigeon blood cells have been determined. The identification criteria, established by using an in vitro adhesion system, have been extrapolated to cells associated with the surface of atherosclerotic lesions. The results presented in this paper clearly distinguish erythrocytes, thrombocytes and lymphocytes from monocytes and granulocytes. Erythrocytes are fusiform in shape and have a distinctively smooth plasma membrane. Thrombocytes, smaller than erythrocytes but also fusiform, extend numerous filipodia when surface activated. Often a delicate hyalomere connects adjacent filipodia on the substrate. In contrast to erythrocytes and thrombocytes, lymphocytes are round cells whose plasma membrane forms numerous stubby microvilli. Monocytes and granulocytes can be distinguished from the other cell types by their larger size; however, the distinction between the two is much finer than the previous three blood cell lines. When adherent, both retain a round, nuclear region often encircled by a hyalomere apposing the substrate; the discrete difference between granulocytes and monocytes lies in the convolutions of the plasma membrane. The monocyte membrane folds into ruffles covering both the nuclear area and hyalomere; whereas, the granulocyte membrane forms small microvilli and cytoplasmic ridges only over the nuclear area. The SEM descriptions of adherent pigeon blood cells were demonstrated to be potentially useful in identifying cells adherent to early atherosclerotic lesions in pigeon coronary arteries.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D010856:Columbidae; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009000:Monocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure