The fine structure of blood cells in ceroid-lipofuscinosis (Spielmeyer-Vogt's disease).

Peripheral blood and bone marrow in a case of juvenile type of Spielmeyer-Vogt's disease were examined with the light and electron microscope for the occurrence of curvilinear profile (CLP), rectilinear profile (RLP), finger-print profile (FPP) and other inclusions. A large quantity of parallel tubular arrays (PTAs) and a few CLPs, RLPs and FPPs were present in the cytoplasm of the lymphocytes. In addition, many plasma cells in the bone marrow contained FPPs, RLPs and CLPs in the vacuoles of their cytoplasm. The other relevant inclusions were observed in the cytoplasm of the bone marrow cells. Moreover, amorphous or membranous inclusions with rectilinear or curvilinear profiles were seen in some vacuoles in the cytoplasm of many erythrocytes. The incidence of these characteristic inclusions in the plasma cells or the erythrocytes were not described nor the present. The correlation and the diagnostic significance of these characteristic inclusions were discussed.