The Differentiation of Polyps and Their Mucosal Ultrastructure

Abstract

This paper reported both ultrastructural and biochemical studies of nasal polyps from 32 patients: 5 with an aspirin-induced asthma; 14 allergic patients with rhinitis; and 13 nonallergic patients with negative skin tests against the major inhalant allergens. The results of the studies have clearly shown that there are two different types of nasal polyps, neutrophil-dominant polyps and eosinophil-dominant polyps, and both leukocytes play a major role as important effector cells in the formation of nasal polyps. Cytotoxic effector molecules from both leukocytes initiate the connective tissue damage of the capillary basement membrane, bringing about enormous tissue edema, with broad disruptions of the epithelial lamina, causing polyp formation.