An ultrastructural analysis of lympho-reticular cell interactions in primary cultures of human non-lymphoid neoplasms and lymphomas.

The morphology and interactions of lymphoreticular cells in cultures of human tumour tissue was studied by transmission and surface scanning electron microscopy. Macrophages are very common in non-lymphoid neoplasms and vary considerably in shape and surface morphology, with features of mature stimulated cells. Lymphocytes adhere to macrophages more often than to tumour cells. Close contact between macrophages and tumour cells also occurs, but there is no evidence that the infiltrating macrophages or lymphocytes have an overt cytotoxic effect under these cultural conditions. A variety of interactions are seen in cultures of Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma. The only cultural characteristics that may be specific for lymphoma tissue are large intravacuolar collections of lymphocytes within macrophages or giant cells and the rare close spatial relationship between lymphocytes and degenerate macrophages, the latter particularly in Hodgkin's lymphoma. These observations demonstrate the disturbed cellular interrelationships that exist in lymphoma tissue.