title: Diverse niches within multiple myeloma bone marrow aspirates affect plasma cell enumeration.
abstract: A basic criterion for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma is plasma cell enumeration within the bone marrow (BM). This report showed that flow cytometry under-estimated the number of plasma cells in BM aspirates by an average of 60%, compared with morphological evaluation. The discrepancy was partially because BM smears contain cells associated with the lipid-enriched spicules. In contrast, flow cytometry is performed on the BM fluid, which is depleted of the lipid-adhesive plasma cells. This discrepancy may point to different plasma cell subpopulations associated with diverse niches within the BM.
authors: The Molecular Cell Biology Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors: Liat
authors: L
authors: Nadav
authors: Ben-Zion
authors: BZ
authors: Katz
authors: Shoshana
authors: S
authors: Baron
authors: Lydia
authors: L
authors: Yossipov
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Polliack
authors: Varda
authors: V
authors: Deutsch
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Geiger
authors: Ellizabeth
authors: E
authors: Naparstek