Langhans

Langhans is a German surname. In scientific literature, it is most commonly associated with Langhans giant cells, a type of multinucleated cell named after the German pathologist Theodor Langhans, who described them in relation to granulomatous inflammation.

Langhans giant cells are formed by the fusion of macrophages and are characterized by a large size and nuclei arranged peripherally at the cell’s border, often in a horseshoe or ring-like pattern. This distinctive arrangement helps distinguish them from other multinucleated giant cells. Langhans giant cells appear in various granulomatous conditions, most notably in tuberculosis, but also in leprosy, sarcoidosis, certain fungal infections, and other granulomatous processes.

The term is sometimes confused with Langerhans cells, which are a different type of immune cell (epidermal dendritic cells named after Paul Langerhans). The two terms refer to separate cell lineages and should not be conflated.

Beyond the eponym, Langhans remains primarily encountered as a surname and, in medical contexts, as part of the historical eponym describing the giant cells. The concept underscores the historical practice of naming cellular discoveries after the physicians who first described them.