Langhans giant cell
{{Short description|Cell type}}
{{distinguish|Langerhans cell}}
Image:Granulation tissue containg a poorly formed granuloma with a Langhan's giant cell.jpg infection).]]
Langhans giant cells (LGC) are giant cells found in granulomatous conditions.
They are formed by the fusion of epithelioid cells (macrophages), and contain nuclei arranged in a horseshoe-shaped pattern in the cell periphery.{{cite web |url=http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/LUNGHTML/LUNG038.html |title=Pulmonary Pathology |access-date=2008-11-21}}
Although traditionally their presence was associated with tuberculosis, they are not specific for tuberculosis or even for mycobacterial disease. In fact, they are found in nearly every form of granulomatous disease, regardless of etiology.
Terminology
Langhans giant cells are named after Theodor Langhans (1839–1915), a German pathologist.{{cite journal |vauthors=Pritchard J, Foley P, Wong H |title=Langerhans and Langhans: what's misleading in a name? |journal=Lancet |volume=362 |issue=9387 |pages=922 |date=September 2003 |pmid=13678997 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(03)14323-1 |s2cid=37714847 |doi-access=free }}
Causes
In 2012, a research paper showed that when activated CD4+ T cells and monocytes are in close contact, interaction of CD40-CD40L between these two cells and subsequent IFNγ secretion by the T cells causes upregulation and secretion of fusion-related molecule DC-STAMP (dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein) by the monocytes, which results in LGC formation.{{cite journal |pmid=22058328 |title= The CD40-CD40L axis and IFN-γ play critical roles in Langhans giant cell formation| doi=10.1093/intimm/dxr088 |volume=24 |issue=1 |date=January 2012 |journal=Int. Immunol. |pages=5–15 |vauthors=Sakai H, Okafuji I, Nishikomori R, etal |doi-access= }}
Clinical significance
Langhans giant cells are often found in transbronchial lung biopsies or lymph node biopsies in patients with sarcoidosis.{{cite book |last= Sam |first= Amir H. |author2=James T.H. Teo |title= Rapid Medicine |publisher= Wiley-Blackwell |year= 2010 |isbn= 978-1405183239}} They are also commonly found in tuberculous granulomas of tuberculosis.{{Cite book |title=Robbins & Cotran pathologic basis of disease |date=2021 |editor=Vinay Kumar |editor2=Abul K. Abbas |editor3=Jon C. Aster |isbn=978-0-323-53113-9 |edition=Tenth |location=Philadelphia, PA |oclc=1191840836}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{MeshName|Langhans+giant+cells}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071212154144/http://www.pathology.med.ohio-state.edu/ext/MedEd/Med2Visuals/Scripts/jpegtext_1024.idc?FolderNumber=10444&Filename=PAXIT024.JPG Histology at ohio-state.edu]
- [http://pathology2.jhu.edu/cytopath/masterclass/general/Additional/1lngp13.htm Histology at jhu.edu]
{{Blood}}