What is the histiocyte?

A histiocyte is a normal immune cell that is found in many parts of the body especially in the bone marrow, the blood stream, the skin, the liver, the lungs, the lymph glands and the spleen. In histiocytosis, the histiocytes move into tissues where they are not normally found and cause damage to those tissues.

What is the difference between a histiocyte and a macrophage?

The macrophage is the final stage of development in the monocyte lineage. It is a phagocyte whose roles include the removal of dead and dying tissue and the destruction and ingestion of invading organisms. A histiocyte is a less phagocytic form of a macrophage with fewer lysosomal granules.

Is a histiocyte a monocyte?

The term Histiocyte can also simply refer to a cell from monocyte origin outside the blood system, such as in a tissue (as in rheumatoid arthritis as palisading histiocytes surrounding fibrinoid necrosis of rheumatoid nodules).

Is histiocytosis a cancer?

Key Points. Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare disorder that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body. It is not known whether LCH is a form of cancer or a cancer-like disease.

How is histiocytosis diagnosed?

Radiology Scans CT scans can identify areas of histiocytosis. They can be used to look at any part of the body, but CT is most helpful for detecting histiocytosis in the lungs, heart, kidneys, lymph nodes, and other organs. MRI scans can get a very detailed picture of certain organs.

What is the function of histiocytes?

Histiocytes/macrophages are derived from monocytes and play an important role in the regulation of immune functions. They are involved in different aspects of host defense and tissue repair, such as phagocytosis, cytotoxic activities, regulation of inflammatory and immune responses, and wound healing.

What is the difference between macrophages and monocytes?

Understanding the Difference Monocytes are the largest type of white blood cells and play an important role in the adaptive immunity process. Macrophages are monocytes that have migrated from the bloodstream into any tissue in the body.

How do you treat histiocytosis?

Histiocytosis Treatment

Surgery. Sometimes histiocytosis involves only one area of the body.
Radiation Therapy. Radiation therapy can be extremely effective for certain types of histiocytosis, especially Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
Immunosuppressants and Chemotherapy.
Targeted Medications for Histiocytosis.

Does histiocytosis go away?

In many people with Langerhans cell histiocytosis, the disorder eventually goes away with appropriate treatment. It may even disappear on its own, especially if the disease occurs only in the skin.