Aschoff cell

In pathology, Aschoff (or Aschoff giant cells) cells are often cells associated with rheumatic heart disease. They are found in Aschoff bodies surrounding centres of fibrinoid necrosis.
In comparison with Anitschkow cells their cytoplasm is more basophilic, can contain more up to 4 nuclei.
Aschoff believed that Aschoff giant cells were some type of connective or endothelial tissue. Today are Aschoff cells considered to be derived from cardiac myocytes rather than connective tissue cells.

Aschoff cells were named after the German physician and pathologist Ludwig Aschoff.