A 25-year-old woman has mediastinal lymphadenopathy, eosinophilia, and a lymph node biopsy showing large binucleated cells with prominent 'owl-eye' nucleoli in a background of lymphocytes, eosinophils, and plasma cells. The cell of origin of these large cells is:
- A Germinal center B lymphocyte ✓
- B T lymphocyte
- C Natural killer cell
- D Monocyte/macrophage
Correct answer: A. Germinal center B lymphocyte
Explanation
Reed-Sternberg cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma are derived from germinal center B lymphocytes that have lost B-cell marker expression (CD19, CD20, PAX5 dim/variable) but express CD15 and CD30. The mixed cellularity subtype described here (eosinophils, plasma cells, lymphocytes) is associated with EBV in many cases. T cells and NK cells are not the cell of origin.
Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.