title: Analysis of monocyte and histiocytic cell populations in bone marrow of patients with confirmed and suspected cases of reactive histocytosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe characteristics of monocytes and histiocytes in the bone marrow of patients with a confirmed and suspected diagnosis of reactive histiocytosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  14 patients with a confident diagnosis of reactive histiocytosis or with a suspected diagnosis were inpatients at the Tianjin Blood Diseases Hospital between 2008 and 2012. Nucleated cells from bone marrow were observed by light microscopy - morphologically and immunohistochemically for histiocyte antigens - and ultrastructurally by transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monocytes, atypical histiocytes, macrophages, hemophagocytes, reticular cells and dendritic cells were significantly increased in 9, 9, 5, 3, 3 and 2, respectively, of the 14 cases. Atypical histiocytes expressed some morphological characteristics of promonocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monocytes, atypical histiocytes, macrophages, hemophagocytes, reticular cells and dendritic cells were increased in different relative degrees in patients with bone marrow reactive histiocytosis or suspected reactive histiocytosis. The increase in numbers of monocytes, atypical histiocytes and macrophages was a particularly significant feature. It is argued that atypical histiocytes with immature monocyte features might be precursors of hemophagocytes, reticular cells or dendritic cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China. ruyongxin@126.com
authors.forename: Yong-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Ru
authors.forename: Shen-Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Shu-Xu
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Shi-Xuan
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Feng-Kui
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Tian-Xiang
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eyden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D002452:Cell Count; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015616:Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012156:Reticulocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation