Pleomorphism (cytology) explained

Pleomorphism is a term used in histology and cytopathology to describe variability in the size, shape and staining of cells and/or their nuclei. Several key determinants of cell and nuclear size, like ploidy and the regulation of cellular metabolism, are commonly disrupted in tumors.[1] Therefore, cellular and nuclear pleomorphism is one of the earliest hallmarks of cancer progression and a feature characteristic of malignant neoplasms and dysplasia.[2] [3] Certain benign cell types may also exhibit pleomorphism, e.g. neuroendocrine cells, Arias-Stella reaction.

A rare type of rhabdomyosarcoma that is found in adults is known as pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma.[4]

Despite the prevalence of pleomorphism in human pathology, its role in disease progression is unclear. In epithelial tissue, pleomorphism in cellular size can induce packing defects and disperse aberrant cells.[5] But the consequence of atypical cell and nuclear morphology in other tissues is unknown.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Schmoller . Kurt M. . Skotheim . Jan M.. The Biosynthetic Basis of Cell Size Control . Trends Cell Biol.. December 2015 . 25 . 12 . 793–802. 10.1016/j.tcb.2015.10.006. 26573465. 6773270 . free .
  2. Book: Travis. W.D.. Brambilla. B.. Burke. A.P. Marx . A.. Nicholson. A.G.. WHO Classification of Tumours of the Lung, Pleura, Thymus and Heart. 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150321183047/http://apps.who.int/bookorders/anglais/detart1.jsp?codlan=1&codcol=70&codcch=4007. dead. March 21, 2015. Lyon. International Agency for Research on Cancer. 978-92-832-2436-5.
  3. Book: El-Naggar. A.K.. Chan. J.C.K.. Grandis. J.R.. Takata. T.. Slootweg. P.J.. WHO Classification of Head and Neck Tumours. 23 January 2017. Lyon. International Agency for Research on Cancer. 978-92-832-2438-9. 2019-10-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20191031140552/http://publications.iarc.fr/Book-And-Report-Series/Who-Iarc-Classification-Of-Tumours/Who-Classification-Of-Head-And-Neck-Tumours-2017. 2019-10-31. dead.
  4. Okazaki . Mitsuyoshi . Tajima . Hidehiro . Ohbatake . Yoshinao . Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the liver in an adult: a rare case report . BMC Surgery . 81 . 10.1186/s12893-020-00742-7 . 21 April 2020. 20 . 1 . 32316960 . 7171846 . free .
  5. Ramanathan . Subramanian P. . Krajnc . Matej . Gibson . Matthew C. . Cell-Size Pleomorphism Drives Aberrant Clone Dispersal in Proliferating Epithelia . Developmental Cell . October 2019 . 51 . 1 . 49–61.e4 . 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.08.005 . 31495693 . 6903429 . free .