Bar-shaped nuclear chromatin in conjunctival samples: with cytologic features and ultrastructural correlation.
OBJECTIVE
To study the cytomorphologic features of bar-shaped chromatin in conjunctival samples and assess whether there are morphologic similarities between nuclear grooves seen in thyroid papillary carcinoma and bar-shaped chromatin.


METHODS
A total of 10 conjunctival samples from five volunteers were studied cytologically. Of the 10 samples, 2 showed barshaped chromatin. This chromatin was studied using a light microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM).


RESULTS
On SEM, bar-shaped chromatin was observed as a fissure or shallow cracks. On TEM the barshaped chromatin existed both in the center of the nuclei and in the nuclear membrane and cytoplasm. It was surrounded by outer and inner membranes.


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that bar-shaped chromatin is formed by the nuclear membrane and that these changes are essentially the same configuration as cytoplasmic invaginations commonly present in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.
Department of Cytopathology, Saiseikai Shiga Hospital, Imperial Gift Foundation, Inc., Japan.
T K
TK
Kobayashi
Y
Y
Ishida
C
C
Kaneko
K
K
Tsubota
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure
D002843:Chromatin