Clear cell

In histology, a clear cell is a cell that shows a clear cytoplasm when stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Normally, clear cells are secretory cells in the epithelium, and are one of the components of eccrine sweat glands. A clear cell's plasma membrane is highly folded, more so on the apical and lateral surfaces. The cytoplasm of clear cells contains large amounts of glycogen and many mitochondria. Melanocytes appear as clear cells when in the stratum basale of the skin, and Langerhans' cells appear as clear cells in the stratum spinosum.^[1]

Clear-cell tumors are cancers that contain a preponderance of clear cells.

References

1. Ross, Michael H.; Pawlina, Wojciech (2006). Histology: A Text and Atlas (5th ed.). Lipincott Williams and Wilkins. ISBN 978-0-7817-7221-1.