| reparative giant cell granuloma | <dermatology, oncology> A non-neoplastic lesion characterised by a proliferation of granulation tissue containing numerous multinucleated giant cells. It occurs on the gingiva and alveolar mucosa (occasionally on other soft tissues) where it presents as a soft red-blue haemorrhagic nodular swelling. It also occurs within the mandible or maxilla as a unilocular or multilocular radiolucency. Peripheral giant cell granuloma refers to the gingiva (giant cell epulis), central refers to the jaw. Microscopically similar lesions occur in the tubular bones of the hands and feet, are considered neoplastic, and may have a malignant course. Identical bony lesions may be seen in hyperparathyroidism and cherubism. See: giant cell tumour of bone. Synonym: giant cell epulis. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| congenital giant pigmented nevus | These large pigmented (often hairy) congenital nevi are important because of their increased risk (10 to 15%) of conversion into malignant melanoma. A biopsy can confirm if cells have turned malignant. Any change in a pre-existing nevus should prompt a physician evaluation. (27 Sep 1997) |
| squid giant axon | <physiology> Large axons, up to 1mm in diameter, that innervate the mantle of the squid. Because of their large size, many of the pioneering investigations of the mechanisms underlying resting and action potentials in excitable cells were done on these fibres. (10 Mar 1998) |
| subependymal giant cell astrocytoma | <tumour> A rare astrocytoma, frequently located in the wall of the lateral ventricle, comprised of large glial cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and intermixed elongated astrocytes, associated with tuberous sclerosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| interstitial giant cell pneumonia | A rare complication of measles, with the postmortem finding of multinucleated giant cells lining alveoli. Synonym: Hecht's pneumonia, interstitial giant cell pneumonia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Touton giant cell | A xanthoma cell in which the multiple nuclei are grouped around a small island of nonfoamy cytoplasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Langhans giant cell | Multinucleate cells formed by fusion of epithelioid macrophages and associated with the central part of early tubercular lesions. Similar to foreign body giant cells, but with the nuclei peripherally located. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Langhans'-type giant cells | Multinucleated giant cell's seen in tuberculosis and other granulomas; the nuclei are arranged in an arciform manner at the periphery of the cell's. Synonym: Langhans'-type giant cells. Synonym: cytotrophoblastic cells. (05 Mar 2000) |
| foreign body giant cell | <pathology> Syncytium formed by the fusion of macrophages in response to an indigestible particle too large to be phagocytosed for example talc, silica or asbestos fibres). There may be as many as 100 nuclei randomly distributed: similar cells but with the nuclei more peripherally located (Langhans cells) are found at the centre of tuberculous lesions. (06 Mar 1998) |