List of abbreviations
Vocabulary
of micros-
copic
anatomy
specialist terms
explained in
English +
German

Every attempt was made to provide correct information and labelling, however any liability for eventual errors or incompleteness is rejected!

dieser Seite

Editor:
Dr. med.
H. Jastrow


Conditions
of use
Detail of a human plasma cell from the pharyngeal tonsil (Tonsilla pharyngea)
(for unlabelled original image click here, please!)

C = cytoplasm of the plasma cell (cellular fluid with organells); Ci = cisterns of the Golgi-Apparatus (dictyosoms);
cis = cis-side of the Golgi-Apparatus; Cmv = Corpusculum multivesiculare (multivesicular body);
Clv = clathrin coated vesicle (endocytotic vesicle);
Cri = Crista mitochondrialis (mitochondrial crista = infolding of the inner mitochondrial membrane);
Ec = euchromatin; Ed = endocytosis; G = Golgi-Apparatus;
Hc = heterochromatin; (free and partly associated to the nuclear membrane); Hc* = nucleolus associated heterochromatin;
Ic = Invaginatio cellularis (infolding of the extracellular Sfa into the cytoplasm);
Mam = Matrix mitochondrialis (mitochondrial plasma); Mi = mitochondria (crista-type);
Mm = Membrana mitochondrialis (mitochondrial membranes); Mne = Membrana nuclearis externa (outer nuclear membrane);
Mni = Membrana nuclearis interna (inner nuclear membrane); N = nucleus; Nc = nucleolus (nuclear body);
P = Plasmalemma (cell membrane); Pa =  Pars amorpha nucleoli (amorphous part of the nucleolus);
Pf = Pars fibrosa nucleoli (fibrous part of the nucleolus);
Pg = Pars granulosa nucleoli (granular part of the nucleolus); Pnu = Porus nuclei (nuclear pore);
PR = Polyribosomae (Polyribosomes = grouped ribosomes);
RER = rough endoplasmic reticulum (in active plasma cells typically dilated but not here);
SER = smooth endoplasmic reticulum (in continuity with the RER but free of ribosomes);
Sfa = Substantia fundamentalis amorpha (amorphous fundamental substance consisting mainly of water);
Spn = Spatium perinucleare (perinuclear space; space between Mni and Mne);
t = trans-side of the Golgi-Apparatus; Vs = Vesicula secreta (secretory vesicle = Golgivesicle);
# = autophagolysosom of which wtaer and ions are extracted in the left marginal area; therefore small vesicles are secreted here.

Plasma cells produce antibodies (immunglobulins) in their abundant, typically dilated RER. These immunglubulins are transported via transmenbrane proteins through the cell membrane into the Sfa. These cells are most important for humoral defense, i.e. antibody based immune defense. They derive from activated B-lymphocytes and are usually characterized by nucleus showing a "spokes of a wheel" structure, i.e. a large central nucleolus with euchromatin running like spokes of a wheel to the nuclear membrane between the nuclear poresPlasma cells are usually seen in connective tissues and only very rarely free floating in blood. As free connective tissue cells they are able to migrate through connective tissues using their small pseudopods. The ovoid plasma cells are not surrounded by a basement menbrane and have diameters of 10 to over 20 µm.

--> plasma cells, free connective tissue cells, fundamental substance
--> Electron microscopic atlas Overview
--> Homepage of the workshop


Image, page & copyright H. Jastrow.