Abstract
A new stain for mast cells (Mc) in bone was applied in 9 normal, 14 osteoporotic, and 1 case of systemic mastocytosis. Examination included the following calculations: Mc counts according to various area and perimetry referents including cortical (Ct) and cancellous (Cn) components; proportion of Mc types; and diameter and area of ovoid Mc. The following findings were noted: (1) in all groups, Mc counts were higher in the Ct compared with Cn bone, and Mc counts correlated with type but not size of Mc; (2) in osteoporotics compared with normals, Mc counts were higher in Cn but not Ct bone for both area and perimetry referents; (3) a lower proportion of ovoid Mc were seen in osteoporotics; (4) two cases of osteoporosis had similar Mc counts to a case of mastocytosis, but the latter had a higher proportion of spindle-and bizarre-shaped Mc and a higher proportion of Mc in contact with the bone surface. The Mc by virtue of an increase in number, closer contact with bone surface, and pattern of morphological types may have a role in osteoporosis in occasional instances.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
McKenna MJ, Frame B (1985) The mast cell and bone. Clin Orthop 200:226–233
McKenna MJ, Lundin D. Villaneuva AR, Parfitt AM (1990) Comparison of methods for staining mast cells in undecalcified sections of bone. J Histotechnol 13:49–51
Urist MR, McLean FC (1957) Accumulation of mast cells in endosteum of bones of calcium-deficient rats. Arch Pathol 63: 239–251
Sagher F, Even-Paz Z (1967) Mastocytosis and the mast cell. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago, pp 107–114
Fallon MD, Whyte MP, Teitelbaum SL (1981) Systemic mastocytosis associated with generalized osteopenia. Hum Pathol 12: 813–820
Cundy T, Beneton MNC, Darby AJ, Marshall WJ, Kanis JA (1987) Osteopenia in systemic mastocytosis: natural history and responses to treatment with inhibitors of bone resorption. Bone 8:149–155
de Gannes C, de Vernejoul MC (1989) Bone involvement in mastocytosis: a report of 9 cases. Calcif Tissue Int 44 (suppl):82
Harvey JA, Anderson HC, Borek D, Morris D, Lukert BP (1989) Osteoporosis associated with mastocytosis confined to bone: report of two cases. Bone 10:237–241
Lidor C, Frisch B, Gazit D, Gepstein R, Hallel T, Mekori YA (1990) Osteoporosis as the sole presentation of bone marrow mastocytosis. J Bone Min Res 5:871–876
Chines A, Pacifici R, Avioli LV, Teitelbaum SL, Korenblat PE (1991) Systemic mastocytosis presenting as osteoporosis: a clinical and histomorphometric study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 72: 140–144
Frame B, Nixon RK (1968) Bone marrow mast cells in osteoporosis and aging. N Engl J Med 279:626–630
Fallon MD, Whyte MP, Craig B Jr, Teitlebaum SL (1983) Mastcell proliferation in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Calcif Tissue Int 35:29–31
Lawrence JB, Friedman BS, Travis WD, Chinchilli VM, Metcalfe DD, Gralnick HR (1991) Hematologic manifestations of systemic mast cell disease: a prospective study of laboratory and morphologic features and their relation to prognosis. Am J Med 91:612–624
Parfitt AM, Drezner MK, Glorieux FH, Kanis JA, Malluche H, Meunier PJ, Ott SM, Recker RR (1987) Bone histomorphometry: standardization of nomenclature, symbols, and units. J Bone Min Res 2:595–610
Friedman BS, Steinberg SC, Meggs WJ, Kaliner MA, Frieri M, Metcalfe DD (1989) Analysis of plasma histamine levels in patients with mast cell disorders. Am J Med 87:649–654
Ellis HA, Peart KM (1976) Iliac bone marrow mast cell in relation to the renal osteodystrophy of patients treated by haemodialysis. J Clin Pathol 29:502–516
Ellis HA, Peart KM (1977) Effect of renal transplantation on marrow mast cell hyperplasia of chronic renal failure. J Clin Pathol 30:960–965
Leite-Duarte ME, Kasai K, Salusky IB, Mathias R, Harmon W, Goodman WG (1989) Increased mast cells in oxalosis of bone. J Bone Miner Res 4 (suppl 1): S356
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McKenna, M.J. Histomorphometric study of mast cells in normal bone, osteoporosis, and mastocytosis using a new stain. Calcif Tissue Int 55, 257–259 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310402
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310402