Abnormal lymph-node germinal center morphology Absent germinal center tingible body macrophages 2023-11-10T19:49:24Z Germinal centers typically contain macrophages that are engulfing cells undergoing apoptosis from the antigen selection process. The macrophages have relatively abundant cytoplasm containing apoptotic debris and are termed tingible-body macrophages (tingible is a somewhat non-specific term simply meaning capable of being stained). Tingible-body macrophages may be rare or absent in abnormal germinal centers such as in follicular lymphoma. Tingible body macrophages owe their name to their ability to actively phagocytose apoptotic lymphoid cells, and the tingible bodies (TBs) observed in their cytoplasm are apoptotic bodies. Lack of observable tingible body macrophages (TBMs) in germinal centers (GCs) of secondary lymphoid follicles. TBMs represent unique, large phagocytic cells that reside and are a subset of mononuclear phagocytes.