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. 2014 Dec;8(12):ZM01-2.
doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2014/10361.5299. Epub 2014 Dec 5.

Emperipolesis - a review

Varun Rastogi  1 , Rachna Sharma  2 , Satya Ranjan Misra  3 , Lalita Yadav  4 , Vandana Sharma  4
Affiliations

Emperipolesis - a review

Varun Rastogi et al. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Emperipolesis is an uncommon biological process, in which a cell penetrates another living cell. Unlike in phagocytosis where the engulfed cell is killed by lysosomal enzymes of the macrophage, the cell exists as viable cell within another in emperipolesis and can exit at any time without any structural or functional abnormalities for either of them. This process can either be physiological or pathological and may be a pathognomonic feature of certain diseases. Histiocytes and Megakaryocytes are involved in Emperipolesis normally but tumour giant cells in Hodgkin's disease and Rosai-Dorfman disease are pathologic conditions in which this process is seen. We report a mini review as this process is rare and not much reported in the literature.

Keywords: Giant cells; Macrophage; Uncommon biologic process.

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Figures

[Table/Fig-1]:
[Table/Fig-1]:
Megakaryocyte engulfing red blood cells
[Table/Fig-2]:
[Table/Fig-2]:
Macrophage engulfing lymphocyte & plasma cells
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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