Abstract
The term emperipolesis defines the temporary presence of one cell within another's cytoplasm. In clinical use, megakaryocyte emperipolesis is the penetration of hematopoietic cells into the cytoplasm of megakaryocytes. The pathophysiological significance of megakaryocyte emperipolesis is uncertain. It has been described in association with neoplastic disorders, and in a few instances in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, iron deficiency anemia, bleeding, and during the administration of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. However, megakaryocyte emperipolesis in a patient with chronic neutropenia has not been reported. In the current report, emperipolesis of hematopoietic cells within megakaryocytes in a boy with chronic neutropenia is described and the possible mechanisms are discussed.
Copyright and license
Copyright © 2001 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.