Skip to main content
British Journal of Experimental Pathology logoLink to British Journal of Experimental Pathology
. 1983 Jun;64(3):331–335.

The immunoglobulin nature of Russell bodies.

J B Matthews
PMCID: PMC2040673  PMID: 6411110

Abstract

Although Russell bodies have been widely regarded as aggregates of immunoglobulin (Ig) their true nature remains controversial. This report reinvestigates the Ig reactivity of Russell bodies using an immunoperoxidase technique to detect IgG, IgA, IgM, kappa and lambda light chains and J chain on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue. Both intracellular and extracellular Russell bodies stained for Ig heavy and light chain determinants. Generally staining was most intense at the surface of these structures although many appeared to have detectable Ig determinants within the Russell body cores. The results suggest that Russell bodies, irrespective of size or site, are associated with intact Ig molecules.

Full text

PDF
333

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Blom J., Mansa B., Wilk A. A study of Russell bodies in human monoclonal plasma cells by means of immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand A. 1976 Jul;84(4):335–349. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1976.tb00124.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brunning R. D., Parkin J. Intranuclear inclusions in plasma cells and lymphocytes from patients with monoclonal gammopathies. Am J Clin Pathol. 1976 Jul;66(1):10–21. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/66.1.10. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dillman R. O., Orth R., Royston I., Greco C., Green M. R. Extracellular paraprotein globules in a patient with monoclonal gammopathy. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1982 Jun;106(6):275–277. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fisher E. R., Zawadzki Z. A. Ultrastructural features of plasma cells in patients with paraproteinemias. Am J Clin Pathol. 1970 Dec;54(6):779–789. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/54.6.779. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GOLDBERG A. F., DEANE H. W. A comparative study of some staining properties of crystals in a lympho-plasmocytoid cell, of Russell bodies in plasmocytes, and of amyloids--with special emphasis on their isoelectric points. Blood. 1960 Dec;16:1708–1721. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hsu S. M., Hsu P. L., McMillan P. N., Fanger H. Russell bodies: a light and electron microscopic immunoperoxidase study. Am J Clin Pathol. 1982 Jan;77(1):26–31. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/77.1.26. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Korsrud F. R., Brandtzaeg P. Immunohistochemical evaluation of J-chain expression by intra- and extra-follicular immunoglobulin-producing human tonsillar cells. Scand J Immunol. 1981;13(3):271–280. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1981.tb00135.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Matthews J. B., Basu M. K. Plasma cell lesions within the oral tissues: immunoperoxidase staining of routinely fixed and processed tissue. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1982 Oct;54(4):414–423. doi: 10.1016/0030-4220(82)90388-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. RAPPAPORT H., JOHNSON F. B. Intracellular protein resembling Russell bodies in malignant lymphomas associated with acquired hemolytic anemia. Blood. 1955 Feb;10(2):132–144. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. WELSH R. A. Electron microscopic localization of Russell bodies in the human plasma cell. Blood. 1960 Sep;16:1307–1312. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. WHITE R. G. Observations on the formation and nature of Russell bodies. Br J Exp Pathol. 1954 Aug;35(4):365–376. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. van den Tweel J. G., Taylor C. R., Parker J. W., Lukes R. J. Immunoglobulin inclusions in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Am J Clin Pathol. 1978 Mar;69(3):306–313. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/69.1.306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British journal of experimental pathology are provided here courtesy of Wiley

RESOURCES