Charcot–Leyden crystals
Microscopic crystals of galectin-10 in allergic and parasitic disease.
Charcot–Leyden crystals are microscopic crystals composed of eosinophil protein galectin-10. They are found in individuals with allergic diseases such as asthma or parasitic infections including parasitic pneumonia or ascariasis. These crystals are slender, pointed at both ends, and consist of a pair of hexagonal pyramids joined at their bases; they vary in size and may be as large as 50 μm in length. Normally colorless, they are stained purplish-red by trichrome.
- Field
- Pathology, Allergic and Parasitic Disease
- Known for
- Microscopic crystals indicative of eosinophilic inflammation or proliferation
- First noticed by
- Friedrich Albert von Zenker (1851)
- Described by
- Jean-Martin Charcot and Charles-Philippe Robin (1853), Ernst Viktor von Leyden (1872)
- Composition
- Eosinophil protein galectin-10
Lore & Background
Friedrich Albert von Zenker first noticed these crystals in 1851. They were subsequently described jointly by Jean-Martin Charcot and Charles-Philippe Robin in 1853, and later by Ernst Viktor von Leyden in 1872. The crystals are composed of an eosinophilic lysophospholipase called Galectin-10.
Reader's Guide
Charcot–Leyden crystals hold clinical significance as indicators of diseases involving eosinophilic inflammation or proliferation. They are often seen pathologically in patients with bronchial asthma and are associated with allergic reactions such as asthma, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, and rhinosinusitis, as well as parasitic infections including Entamoeba histolytica, Necator americanus, and Ancylostoma duodenale. Their presence helps pathologists identify eosinophil-driven conditions, linking microscopic findings to broader allergic and infectious disease processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Charcot–Leyden crystals?
Charcot–Leyden crystals are microscopic structures made of the eosinophil protein galectin-10, first spotted by Friedrich Albert von Zenker in 1851 and later formally described by Jean-Martin Charcot, Charles-Philippe Robin, and Ernst Viktor von Leyden. Their name honors those 19th-century pathologists who characterized them.
What are Charcot–Leyden crystals's powers/role?
They act as a microscopic flag for eosinophilic inflammation, turning up in tissues affected by allergic conditions like asthma or by parasitic infections such as ascariasis and parasitic pneumonia. Their presence tells the pathologist that eosinophils have been actively lysing in that area.
Why is Charcot–Leyden crystals important?
They are a classic histopathological landmark that separates eosinophil-mediated pathology from other inflammatory patterns, making them a go-to marker in allergic and parasitic disease workups. Their distinctive morphology—slender, pointed at both ends, built from two hexagonal pyramids joined at their bases—makes them easy to recognize in a tissue section.
What does Charcot–Leyden crystals look like?
They are normally colorless, slender crystals that can reach roughly 50 μm in length, with a paired-hexagonal-pyramid shape. When a trichrome stain is applied, they pick up a purplish-red color that helps distinguish them from other crystal types in the slide.
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