Giant cell

[1] Although there is typically a focus on the pathological aspects of multinucleate giant cells (MGCs), they also play many important physiological roles.

Osteoclasts are a type of MGC that are critical for the maintenance, repair, and remodeling of bone and are present normally in a healthy human body.

Non-osteoclast MGCs can arise in response to an infection, such as tuberculosis, herpes, or HIV, or as part of a foreign body reaction.

In the process of giant cell formation, monocytes or macrophages fuse together, which could cause multiple problems for the immune system.

However, while the primary functions of osteoclasts are integral to maintaining a healthy physiological state, they have also been linked to osteoporosis and the formation of bone tumors.

This type of arteritis causes the arteries in the head, neck, and arm area to swell to abnormal sizes.

[7] Giant cell arteritis is most prevalent in older individuals, with the rate of disease being seen to increase from age 50.

It has been suggested that this difference may lie in the criteria used to diagnose giant cell arteritis rather than actual disease incidence, in addition to genetic and geographic factors.

A histopathologist examines the sample under a microscope and issues a pathology report (pending extra tests that may be requested by the pathologist).

Langhans giant cell could be closely related to tuberculosis, syphilis, sarcoidosis, and deep fungal infections.

Many tests may be performed to treat other related diseases to obtain the correct diagnosis for Langhans giant cell.

Some researchers have conjectured that Giant cells may be instrumental in the formation of tumours, and that their origin may be in the stress-induced genomic reorganization proposed by Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock.

[18] Endogenous substances such as keratin, fat, and cholesterol crystals (cholesteatoma) can induce mast cell formation.

This type of giant cell was first found in pulmonary pathology of early phase 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia in two patients with lung cancer after a biopsy.

The morphological analysis showed that multinucleated syncytial cells and atypical enlarged pneumocytes demonstrating cytomorphological changes consistent with viral infection were found in the intra-alveolar spaces.

[20] A further study to characterize the role of multinucleated giant cells in human immune defense against COVID-19 may lead to more effective therapies.