Giant Cells at a glance

Giant cell is a mass usually formed by fusion of macrophage with multiple nuclei & phagocytic activity

Giant cells are generally divided into two groups

1. Physiological Giant cells

·         Osteoclast

·         Megakaryocytes

·         Syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta

2.  Pathological

(S.N=Malignant Giant cells are formed by nuclear division without division of cytoplasm and show characteristics of malignancy)

Name	Site/Diseases	characters
1.Langhans’  Giant cells (German pathologist Theodor Langhans )	·         Tuberculosis ·         Sarcoidosis ·         Recent study reveals that it forms nearly all types of granulomatous diseases	·         Macrophage (Epitheloid cell ) ·         Nucleus arranged horse shoe shape pattern in the cell periphery.
2.Aschoff Giant cells (German physician Ludwig Aschoff )	·         Rheumatic heart diseases	·         Macrophage (Histiocyte ) ·         Fibrinoid necrotic centre surrounded by granulomatous  structure such as plasma cell ,lymphatic infiltration or fibrinoid change )
3.Giant cell of Giant cells tumor of bone	·         Bone tumor	·         Soap-bubble appearance ·         Hundreds of nucleus with Prominent nucleoli surrounded by mononuclear cell
4.Foreign body Giant cells	·         Reaction due to talc ,silica	·         Nucleus are arranged centrally and overlapped
5.Tuton Giant cells (German Dermatologist Kari Tuton )	·         Xanthomata ·         Dermatofibroma ·         Fat necrosis	·         Ring nucleoli surrounding a central homogenous foamy cytoplasm which surrounds the nuclei.
6. Giant cells of herpes Simplex	·         herpes Simplex	·         Fusion of viral infected epidermal cell
7.Warthin-Finkeldey Giant cell	·         Measles ·         HIV	·         Large grape like cluster of nuclei
8.Glioblastoma multiforme	·         Malignant glial tumor ·         Anaplastic Astrocytomas	·         Subcortical white matter of brain ·         Multiple mutation
9. Giant cell in Choriocarcinoma	·         Trophoblastic germ cell tumor	·         Syncytiotrophoblasti (multinucleated cell with eosinophilic cytoplasm )& cytotrophoblast(Polyhedral ,mononuclear cells with hyperchromic nuclei & a clear cytoplasm ) without formation of definitive placenta type villi

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