title: [Ultrastructural study of the thymus in patients with myasthenia gravis].
abstract: The ultrastructure of the thymus gland from ten patients with myasthenia gravis was studied and compared with that from three normal subjects. Thymic substance in myasthenia gravis showed inflammatory reaction characterized by presence of neutrophils and macrophages, plasma cell infiltration, epithelial reticular cell hyperplasia, and new germinal center formation. In contrast lymphoblasts and plasma cells were not present and there was no new germinal center formation in the thymus of normal subjects. It is suggested that humoral immunity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis. The function of the myoid cells and the significance of the secretory granules in epithelial cells could only be defined by ultrastructural study.
authors.affiliation: Henan Medical University, Zhengzhou.
authors.forename: S X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Z L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: L Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000473:pathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000648:ultrastructure*