"Hairy" Cells in Blood in Lymphoreticular Neoplastic Disease and "Flagellated" Cells of Normal Lymph Nodes

Abstract

During examinations of viable leukocytes from many leukemic and nonleukemic patients, peculiar cells called "hairy" cells were seen in the blood from 2 patients. These cells were characterized by numerous short, thin villi projecting from the surface of the cells. In one patient, some of these cells had one or more cytoplasmic masses. The nuclei were oval or crescentic, eccentrically placed, and some had small nucleoli. The cells did not flatten on glass, did not phagocytize latex particles, and were resistant to irradiation with 2000 r. The cells were considered to be identical to the neoplastic lymphoid reticulum cells of Mitus et al.1 Both patients with hairy cells had large spleens, moderate anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Radiotherapy of the spleen of one patient resulted in a prompt leukopenia and a delayed decrease in the size of the spleen. This patient is alive and asymptomatic 21 months after diagnosis. The second patient’s thrombocytopenia was relieved by splenectomy. He is asymptomatic now, 11 months after diagnosis. Hairy cells are still present in small numbers in the blood of both patients. The pathologic hairy cells in the blood were similar to "flagellated" cells seen in suspensions from several hyperplastic lymph nodes. The flagellated cells were relatively few in number, large, with numerous long, thin cytoplasmic projections and round, oval or crescentic nuclei, some of which had small nucleoli. The flagellated cells were resistant to irradiation and probably were identical to the "phagocytic reticular cells" of Sundberg.12

The B‐Lymphocyte Nature of the Hairy Cell of Leukaemic Reticuloendotheliosis

“…The 'hairy' cell is poorly phagocytic in comparison with the monocyte. Although we have observed slight phagocytosis and Candidu 'cidal' activity (Table I) in OUT culture system, others were unable to demonstrate phagocytosis of latex, carbon particles, heat-killed yeast or bacteria by 'hairy' cells (Schrek & Donnelly, 1966;Yam et al, 1968;Rubin et a2, 1969;Berg & Brandt, 1970;Mitus et al, 1972). E. Flandrin & M. T. Daniel (unpublished) have, however, observed at electron microscopy level phagocytosis of staphyloccoci by 'hairy' cells.…”

Cytology and colchicine sensitivity of viable cells from lymph nodes with malignant lymphoma

“…The suspensions from the histiocytic lymphomas were characterized by many large cells, 10 pm or more in diameter (Figs. [6][7][8][9]. These large cells could be readily differentiated from the small lymphocytes.…”

Variations of hairy cell nuclei shapes with regard to ring‐shaped nuclei simulating dysplastic neutrophilic granulocytes and review of the literature

“…Other cytological forms of HC nuclei, except round, oval or indented, were described in HCL as kidney-shaped [4,5], folded [21], convoluted/overlapped [9,22,23], lobulated or multilobular [5,[23][24][25], dumb-bell, spindle or horseshoe-shaped nuclei [5,22,26]. In our series, none of these types represented more than 7% of the total HC, and the sum of cells with these types of nuclei was highest (19.5%) in the patient with the highest number of ring-shaped HC nuclei.…”

“…Their nuclear chromatin is homogeneous, spongy, ground-glass and slightly less clumped than that of a normal lymphocyte, and the nucleolus is absent or inconspicuous. Hairy and lymphoid cells are characteristically widely spaced in the diffuse, patchy or interstitial bone marrow (BM) infiltration patterns [1][2][3][4][5]. HC produce and assemble fibronectin [6] and cause an increase in reticulin fibres leading to BM fibrosis and thus BM aspirates provide usually hypocellular smears or result in a 'dry tap' [1][2][3][4][5][6].…”

“…Hairy and lymphoid cells are characteristically widely spaced in the diffuse, patchy or interstitial bone marrow (BM) infiltration patterns [1][2][3][4][5]. HC produce and assemble fibronectin [6] and cause an increase in reticulin fibres leading to BM fibrosis and thus BM aspirates provide usually hypocellular smears or result in a 'dry tap' [1][2][3][4][5][6]. That, in combination with a loss of haematopoietic elements, can lead to an erroneous diagnosis of aplastic anaemia (AA) [1,5] or hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) [7].…”