Dept. of Dermatology - University of Iowa College of Medicine
M. S. Stone and T. L. Ray
Giant Cells
Large multinucleated cells. Epidermal multinucleated giant cells are characteristic of herpes virus infections. Histiocytic giant cells whose nuclei form a horseshoe arrangement are called Langhans type giant cells. Touton type giant cells have a ring of nuclei surrounding foamy cytoplasm with cytoplasm usually also visible around the nuclei. Foreign-body giant cells have a haphazard nuclear arrangement.
Example of giant cells in Foreign Body Reaction (secondary to ruptured milium) (TOP) and Touton giant cells in Juvenile Xanthogranuloma (BOTTOM).
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September, 1995
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