Giant cells

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Giant cells are "big" cells with multiple nuclei. They come in different flavours, which are suggestive of causality.

Giant cell from a bronchial wash. Pap stain.

This article deals with the classic types of giant cells. A more general differential diagnosis of giant cells is in giant cell lesions.

Giant cell types

List:

  • Touton giant cell.
  • Osteoclast-like giant cell.
  • Foreign body type giant cell.

Table

Type Histology DDx Other Image
Touton giant cell Nuclei form a ring around the cell periphery with eosinophilic cytoplasm centrally and foamy cytoplasm at the periphery. Juvenile xanthogranuloma, xanthoma, Erdheim-Chester disease, fat necrosis, dermatofibroma High lipid content lesions[1], Named after Karl Touton
 
JXG (WC)
Epithelioid type scattered nuclei[2] drug reaction, neoplasm, foreign body, infection, idiopathic, autoimmune, allergic granulomatous inflammation
 
Granuloma (WC)
Langhans giant cell peripheral semi-circular eccentric nuclei[2] tuberculosis, sarcoidosis. not to be confused with Langerhans cells, Named after Theodor Langhans
 
LGC (WC)
Osteoclast-like giant cells multiple bland central nuclei, ruffled cell membrane. osteoclasts, others AKA osteoclast-type giant cells

See also

References

  1. URL: http://granuloma.homestead.com/giant_cells.html. Accessed on: 7 February 2011.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Borley, Neil R.; Warren, Bryan F. (2007). Instant Pathology (1st ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 7. ISBN 978-1405132909.