Microscopic Description of Tophi in Gout
The microscopic image shows a typical tophi in gout.
Key components:
- Tophi: Marked by the yellow arrows, are areas containing urate crystals.
- Urate crystal deposits: Marked by the yellow arrows, are pale pink-purple crystal deposits resembling cotton candy.
- Inflammatory cells: Marked by the green arrows, are cells with dark purple nuclei surrounding urate crystal deposits.
- Fibroblastic proliferation: Marked by the blue arrows and circle, is dense connective tissue with thick collagen bundles in deep pink and blood vessels.
Specific cells:
- Macrophages: Marked by the dark green arrows, have an eccentrically located oval nucleus, abundant cytoplasm, and a spiny irregular cell border.
- Foreign body giant cells: Marked by the light green arrows, are much larger than macrophages, have multiple nuclei on a cytoplasmic background.
- Fibroblasts: Marked by the blue arrows, have a spindle shape, one nucleus, two elongated ends, and are located within collagen bundles.
- Fibrocytes: Marked by the blue arrows, have an elongated shape and a dark purple color.
- Lymphocytes: Marked by the blue arrows, are small white blood cells.
Other structures:
- Collagen fibers: Marked by the blue arrows, are produced by fibroblasts, arranged in bundles, and appear deep pink.
- Blood vessels: Marked by the orange arrows, include small venules (small VM).
Conclusion:
This microscopic image shows the presence of urate crystals, inflammatory reaction, and fibroblastic proliferation within tophi. This is characteristic of gout, a disease caused by the deposition of urate crystals in the tissues.
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