Plasma cell

The plasma cell is white blood cell that produces antibodies.

Microscopic

Features:

• Ovoid intermediate-small cell size ~ 12 micrometers:
  • Cells slightly larger than red blood cells and neutrophils.
• Eccentric nucleus.
  • Nucleus usu. hugs the cell membrane.
  • "Clock-face" chromatin pattern.
    • Small dots symmetrically rim the nuclear membrane - like the numbers on a clock.
• Abundant cytoplasm.
  • Nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio ~1:2
  • Perinuclear hof (prominent Gogli apparatus).
    • Pale perinuclear crescentic - may be up to the size of the nucleus in active plasma cells.

Images:

• Plasma cells (WC).

Neoplasia

Main article: Plasma cell neoplasms

Neoplasms derived from plasma cell are called plasma cell neoplasms.

IHC

• CD38 +ve.
• CD138 +ve.

Others:

• CD19 -ve.
• CD20 -ve
• CD56 -ve.

Lesions where plasma cells are important

Selected lesions with plasma cells

Neoplasms:

• Plasma cell neoplasms.
• Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma - not truly plasma cells.
• Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (inflammatory pseudotumour).
• Classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Inflammatory conditions:

• Inflammatory bowel disease] - esp. at crypt base.
• Primary biliary cirrhosis.
• Chronic gastritis.
• Plasma cell balanitis (Zoon balanitis).

Infectious:

• Syphilis.
• Chancroid.
• Granuloma inguinale.
• Lymphogranuloma venereum.

Plasma cells are absent

• Common variable immunodeficiency.

See also

• Basics.
• Red blood cell.
• Neutrophil.
• Plasma cell neoplasms.
• IgG4-related systemic disease.