THE ORIGIN OF THE EPITHELOID CELL IN TUBERCULOUS LESIONS.

Studies on the origin of the epitheloid cells which characterize the lesion of the tuberculosis have been reported numerously since the 19th century. It is not exaggerating to say that all possibilities of its origin are covered in these reports. The authors have carefully studied these theories hitherto published for years with many collaborators under the direction of Prof. Akazaki. After various experimental observations, it was concluded that the epitheloid cells were not derived from any kinds of leukocytes, but originated from the regional reticulo endothelial cells.1,2,3) Now again the authors like to describe the mechanism of formation of the epitheloid cells in tuberculous lesions, using several model experiments which were carried out recently.