A phagocytic cell formed by the fusion of macrophages, occurs in chronic inflammatory responses to persistent microorganism such as M.tuberculosis, component of granulomas. Sometimes used to refer to megakaryocytes. [ https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0702024783 GOC:add https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0702022918 GOC:tfm ]
Synonyms: syncytial giant cell multinucleate giant cell macrophage polykaryon foreign body giant cell Langerhans giant cell
Term information
- BTO:0003107
- FMA:83035
- MESH:D015726
blood_and_immune_upper_slim
Role or process: Chronic infection, granulomatous inflammation. Consider also megakaryocyte (CL:0000556) as sometimes multinucleated giant cell is used to refer to this.
Term relations
- myeloid leukocyte and bearer of some multinucleate and participates in some granuloma formation and participates in some chronic inflammatory response