Blood, 1960, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 1253-1267.
© 1960 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Morphological and Histochemical Studies of the Leukemic
Cells from a Patient with Atypical Myeloblastic Leukemia
with Special Reference to Intracytoplasmic
Mucopolysaccharide Vacuoles and
Fibrillar Formation
G. ADOLPH ACKERMAN 1,
JOSEPH A. GRASSO 1, and
RALPH A. KNOUFF 1
1 Department of Anatomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
A detailed study (phase contrast, bright field and electron microscopy) of
the primitive leukemic cells from a patient with atypical myeloblastic leukemia
has been presented. An unusual mucopolysaccharide-containing vacuole has
been observed and characterized both morphologically and histochemically.
In addition, this study has yielded considerable information concerning the
structure and chemical composition of the fibrillar formations, fat droplets
and the alterations in erythrocytes following their ingestion by the leukemic
cells. Intramitochondrial structural alterations have been observed and
characterized in many of the primitive myeloblasts. Changes in the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum may reflect impaired or altered metabolism
in these abnormal leukemic cells.
Submitted on December 21, 1959
Accepted on March 18, 1960
