Koilocyte

Koss and Durfee, 1956

Common term in gynaecological and dermatological terminology for HPV-infected squamous epithelial cells. Cytology typically shows the medium-sized to significantly enlarged koilocyte with an optically empty, sharply defined field around the nucleus. Changes in the nucleus, duplex and multinucleated nucleation with coarsened chromatin and hyperchromasia are characteristic. Dyskaryoses are also found, the cells show degenerative, karyopyknotische and conspicuously dark, irregular nuclei. Diagnostically groundbreaking for HPV infection of keratinocytes are accumulations of basophilic inclusion bodies of varying density.

"Koilocyte" is derived from the Greek word stems "Koilos" = empty and "Kytos" = cave, cell

1. Koss LG, Durfee GR (1956) Unusual patterns of squamous epithelium of the uterine cervix:cytologic and pathologic study of koilocytotic atypia. Ann N Y Acad Sci 63:1245-1247