Definition: Macrophages that are laden with lipid (predominantly cholesterol), and that have differentiated from circulating monocytes.
Etiology (Exemples)
xanthomatous tumors
histiocytoses
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis
- non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis
- juvenile xanthogranunloma
- Erdheim-Chester disease
inherited metabolic diseases
-
lysosomal storage diseases
-
lysosomal acid lipase deficiency
- Wolman disease
-
lysosomal acid lipase deficiency
Localization
renal foamy macrophages
- glomerular intracapillary foamy macrophages
- renal tubulary foamy macrophages