Cellularitet

Cellularitet is a term used in biology and medicine to describe the degree to which a tissue, sample, or lesion is composed of cells relative to other components such as extracellular matrix, fat, or stroma. In practice, cellularitet can be expressed as a percentage or described qualitatively as high, moderate, or low. The term is commonly used in histology, pathology, and oncology to characterize specimens and guide analysis.

In pathology, cellularitet is typically determined by microscopic examination of stained tissue sections. Pathologists estimate the proportion of cells within the sample and may distinguish between malignant (tumor) cells and non-neoplastic elements. Modern methods can supplement visual estimates with digital image analysis or flow cytometry to quantify cellular content. Cellularitet influences the yield of nucleic acids for molecular testing and can affect the interpretation of tumor biology and heterogeneity.

In oncology and hematology, cellularitet has practical implications for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment planning. For solid tumors, higher cellularitet can indicate a greater proportion of tumor cells, which may impact mutation detection and the assessment of tumor purity in molecular assays. In bone marrow and hematologic disorders, cellularitet refers to the relative amount of hematopoietic tissue versus fat or fibrous tissue, with deviations from normal indicating specific diseases such as aplastic anemia or myelodysplasia. Cellularitet thus intersects with both diagnostic workflows and research on the tumor microenvironment and tissue architecture.

Limitations and terminology vary by language and context. Cellularitet can be subjective when estimated visually and may vary with sampling, processing, and tumor heterogeneity. Clear reporting often specifies whether the stated cellularitet refers to overall cellular content or to a particular cell population, such as tumor cells.