ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY OF NUCLEAR AND CENTRIOLAR CONFIGURATIONS IN MULTINUCLEATED GIANT-CELLS

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (2) , 109-114
Abstract
Multinucleated giant cells were examined by EM from 4 peripheral giant cell granulomas of the jaws, a central giant cell tumor of the maxilla, 5 giant cell tumors of tendon sheath, experimentally induced foreign body granulomas in rats, a virus-induced sarcoma and osteoclasts from the mandibles of rats and the femurs of hamsters. All of the multinucleated cells had a similar arrangement of nuclear concentration areas and nucleus-free areas. A giant centrosphere containing multiple pairs of centrioles was found in the nucleus-free areas, unassociated with any particular nucleus. In the case of the foreign body giant cell and the osteoclast, this giant centrosphere was located very close to the foreign material or bone. When occasional single pairs of centrioles were found, they were located in the area of nuclear concentration, closely associated with a particular nucleus at the periphery. A common centrosphere containing multiple centrioles is not an exclusive feature of the osteoclast as was previously thought. A mononuclear cell containing a centriole pair apparently fuses to the larger cell and maintains its centriole pair in close proximity to its nulceus for a short period of time, during which it may undergo mitotic activity. Eventually, the centrioles proceed to a common centrosphere but the nuclei aggregate in another area making further mitotic activity an unlikely possibility.

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