Reed–Sternberg cells

Reed–Sternberg cells are large, abnormal B-cell-derived lymphoid cells with prominent nucleoli, characteristic of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Their surrounding immune-cell milieu contributes to the disease’s distinctive tissue appearance.

B cell: A lymphocyte that produces antibodies and can mature into an antibody-secreting plasma cell. Reed–Sternberg cells derive from B cells, despite often losing many B-cell markers.
Germinal center: A transient structure in lymphoid organs where activated B cells mutate antibody genes and undergo selection. Reed–Sternberg precursors acquire their defining genetic damage during germinal-center B-cell development.
Immunohistochemistry: A laboratory method that detects proteins in tissue using antibody-based staining. It reveals marker patterns used to distinguish Reed–Sternberg cells from surrounding immune cells.
Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: A Hodgkin lymphoma marked by lymphocyte-predominant cells, usually with a B-cell immunophenotype. Its tumor cells differ morphologically and immunophenotypically from classic Reed–Sternberg cells.
Hodgkin lymphoma: A group of lymphoid cancers defined by characteristic malignant cells and their tissue environment. Reed–Sternberg cells are the defining malignant cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
Somatic hypermutation: A process that introduces mutations into antibody genes in activated B cells. Defective antibody-gene rearrangements in tumor precursors are exposed during this mutation process.
CD30: A cell-surface protein expressed by activated lymphocytes and many Reed–Sternberg cells. Strong CD30 staining is a key finding in identifying classical Reed–Sternberg cells.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma: A T-cell or null-cell lymphoma often characterized by large CD30-positive tumor cells. Its CD30-positive cells can resemble Reed–Sternberg cells but arise in a different lymphoma.
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma: A Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by Reed–Sternberg cells and related variants in an inflammatory background. This is the lymphoma subtype in which classic Reed–Sternberg cells are characteristic.
NF-κB: A family of transcription factors that regulates inflammation, cell survival, and immune responses. Constitutive NF-κB activity helps Reed–Sternberg cells resist cell death.

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Giant cells (pathology)Broader topic: Its striking size and nuclear appearance make it a tumor-associated giant-cell example.