Ultrastructural alterations of the lymphocytes from a patient with Reye's syndrome.

The ultrastructural alterations of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with Reye's syndrome are reported. The involved cells were lymphocytes which showed marked nuclear changes such as irregular or highly convoluted nuclei, multilobulated nuclei, presence of scanty chromatin, and large nucleoli. Changes of the cytoplasmic organelles involved the mitochondria and dense bodies with well defined surrounding membrane appeared. The possibility that these findings indicate a viral etiology of the disease is discussed.