Fine Structural Demonstration of Acid Phosphatase Activity in Auer Bodies

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Abstract
The peripheral leukocytes of three patients with acute myelogenous leukemia have been studied by combined electron microscopy and ultrastructural cytochemistry. Auer bodies present in immature granulocytes were found to contain specific evidence of acid phosphatase activity, indicating that Auer rods are lysosomes. A number of observations were made which support the origin of Auer rod lysosomes from azurophilic granules which are known to be lysosomes. The nature of the stimulus causing transformation or fusion of azure granules to form Auer bodies, however, remains obscure.