Asteroid body

An asteroid body (pl. asteroid bodies), is a histopathologic finding seen in granulomatous diseases, such as sarcoidosis and foreign body giant cell reactions.[1]

Traditionally, they have been thought to represent cytoskeletal elements and consist primarily of vimentin [2] However, evidence from ultrastructural examination suggests otherwise; it is proposed that asteroid bodies are made up of complex lipids that are arranged in bilayer membranes.[3]

They were once thought to be related to centrioles,[4] an organelle involved in cell division in eukaryotes.

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References

  1. ^ Cain, H; Kraus, B (Dec 1977). "Asteroid bodies: derivatives of the cytosphere. An electron microscopic contribution to the pathology of the cytocentre.". Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol 26 (2): 119–32. PMID 204105. 
  2. ^ Cain, H; Kraus, B (1983). "Immunofluorescence microscopic demonstration of vimentin filaments in asteroid bodies of sarcoidosis. A comparison with electron microscopic findings.". Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol Incl Mol Pathol 42 (2): 213–26. PMID 6133393. 
  3. ^ Papadimitriou, JC; Drachenberg, CB (1992). "Ultrastructural analysis of asteroid bodies: Evidence for membrane lipid bilayer nature of components". Ultrastruct Pathol 16 (4): 413–421. doi:10.3109/01913129209057826. PMID 1323892. 
  4. ^ Kirkpatrick, CJ; Curry, A; Bisset, DL (1988). "Light- and electron-microscopic studies on multinucleated giant cells in sarcoid granuloma: new aspects of asteroid and Schaumann bodies.". Ultrastruct Pathol 12 (6): 581–97. doi:10.3109/01913128809056483. PMID 2853474.