IPLab:Lab 3:Brain Infarction

Images

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  This is a gross photograph of the brain which contains two areas of infarction (arrows).
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  This is a gross photograph of a cross-section of brain demonstrating the areas of infarction (arrows).
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  This is a low-power photomicrograph of brain at the edge of the infarct. Note the loss of brain parenchyma (arrows).
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  This is a photomicrograph of the edge of the infarct. Note the numerous inflammatory cells in the brain parenchyma and adjacent to the remaining brain tissue (arrows).
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  This is a higher-power photomicrograph of the previous image showing that the inflammatory cells (arrows) are primarily macrophages and microglia which have phagocytosed the dead brain tissue.
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  This is a photomicrograph of brain tissue adjacent to the area of infarction. There are numerous activated gemistocytic astrocytes (arrows).
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  This is a photomicrograph of the edge of the infarct. The macrophages that are full of brain tissue (“gitter cells”) are at the top of the image (arrows) and the brain parenchyma containing gemistocytic astrocytes is at the bottom.
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  This is a high-power photomicrograph of gitter cells (arrows).
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  This is a photomicrograph of the edge of the infarct. Note the gitter cells, gemistocytic astrocytes, and some hemosiderin-laden macrophages (arrows).
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  This is a gross photograph of a brain from another patient with an old healed infarct. Note the meninges overlying the infarcted region (arrow).
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  This is a closer view of the brain demonstrating an old healed infarct with the meninges containing blood vessels (arrow) overlying the infarcted region.

Gemistocytic astrocytes (gemistocytes) comprise a form of activated astrocyte in which the cell body becomes round and swollen, the nucleus assumes an eccentric position, and the cytoplasm changes to an easily visible bright pink color.