The Occurrence of the “L. E.” Cell in Clotted Blood

Traps N' Clots: NET-Mediated Thrombosis and Related Diseases

“…7 The very first observation linking neutrophils with thromboinflammation was reported almost 70 years ago describing granulocytes as a main component of clotted blood in patients suffering from active lupus erythematosus. 8 During the following years, although several studies had described the accumulation of neutrophils at the site of thrombus formation, these cells remained neglected and less studied in many throm-botic diseases. The traditional aspect of neutrophils as dispensable, passive bystanders was dramatically revised after the milestone discovery that they represent a primary source of blood-borne tissue factor (TF), the main in vivo initiator of the extrinsic coagulation cascade, resulting in thrombin generation and ensuing thrombus formation.…”

The "L.E. Cell" and Its Significance

“…L.E. cells can be found in the peripheral blood in the absence of an anticoagulant (Barnes ei al., 1950a ;Gonyea et al, 1950), and Lee considers the examination of clotted venous blood the most sensitive method for the demonstration of the L.E. phenomenon.…”