The Scanning Electron Microscopy of Normal Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Abstract

A study of the effects of various sample preparation techniques for scanning electron microscopy has been undertaken in an attempt to resolve conflicting descriptions of the surface topography of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. By fixing cells in suspension--a technique thought most likely to avoid the production of artefacts--no clearly defined morphological classification of lymphocytes could be made, and when T- and B-lymphocyte enriched preparations were studied their surfaces appeared similar. Both T- and B-rosetted cells showed identical morphological changes as a result of their interaction with red blood cells. The smooth cells described in other reports were found only under certain conditions of preparation. It is therefore not possible to distinguish between T- and B-cell populations, using the S.E.M., on the basis of surface morphology alone.

Alterations of the Cell Surface Morphology in Human T-Rosetting Lymphocytes

“…Our results indicate that, from a mor phological point of view, the possibilities of attachment between the two cell types in volved in E-rosettes are greater than those previously described by SEM and TEM [2,5,6,8,10] and that many of them involve important changes in the lymphocyte sur face topography. Moreover, the importance of some cellular structures, such as micro villi, in the formation and maintenance of E-rosettes is suggested.…”

“…It has been demonstrated in different studies performed by SEM that the SRBC-lymphocyte interaction in the forma tion of E-rosettes involves modifications in the surface morphology of the two cell types [8][9][10], However, due to the resolution and type of image obtained by SEM, the de tailed analysis of those modifications and the extent of junction between plasma mem branes produced during the lymphocyte-SRBC interaction is not possible using this technique.…”

“…This test (E-rosette test) has been used, there fore, as a T-cell marker in different mor phological studies of human peripheral blood T-lymphocytes [7,[10][11][12], Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies have shown that the interaction between human T-lymphocytes and SRBC results in a varie ty of changes in the surface architecture of the two cell types, which are revealed, pri marily, by the presence of microvilli [8][9][10]. However, despite their importance in mor phological studies of lymphocytes, very few reports have been focused on the ultrastruc tural analysis of these alterations.…”

Unusual Lymphocyte Morphology in a Case of Chronic Lymphatic Leukaemia: Apparent Nuclear Extrusion

“…Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated by Ficol/Triosil gradient centrifuga tion and prepared for electron microscopy as previously described by Newell et al [1976]. The cell suspension was processed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using an adapted BEEM capsule (Newell and Roath, 1975] and also embedded in Spurr resin and sectioned for transmission electron microscopy (TEM).…”

“…The recent development of improved techniques which have reduced the possibility of preparative artefacts [Newell et al, 1976] have allowed us to make detailed obser vations on the surface and ultrastructural morphology of these cells. The peripheral blood lymphocytes from one particular patient illustrated a phenomenon unique in our experience: the structural studies on these cells are described and discussed.…”