| Abstract: | Analysis of the morphological and immunologic surface (Sm Ig) and cytoplasmic (Cy Ig) immunoglobulin, faintness (f.imfl) or brightness (b.imfl) of surface immunofluorescence, rosette formation with mouse erythrocytes (MR), or sheep red cells coated with C3 (EAC)] characteristics of the neoplastic lymphocytes involved in 137 cases of B-cell leukemias allowed the differentiation of the following cytologic categories: B1 small lymphocytes (71); SM Ig+, f.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR+, EAC+; B2 prolymphocyte (4): SM Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR+, EAC+. B3 plasmacytoid lymphocyte (2): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig+/-, MR+!-, EAC+/- B4 small cleaved lymphocyte (23): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC+. B5a large cleaved and B5b noncleaved lymphocytes (14): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC-. B6 small noncleaved "Burkitt-like" lymphocyte (5): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC-. B7 plasma cell (2): Sm Ig+, MR-, EAC-. B8 hairy cell (16): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC-, also exhibiting ingestion or attachment of particulate material, not seen in other types. Improved delineation of the heterogeneous group of B-cell leukemias might be of developmental significance in lymphocyte differentiation and improve current prognostic and therapeutic criteria. |
