Cytochemical Studies on T and B Lymphocytes and Lymphoblasts with Special Reference to Acid Phosphatase

Abstract

Lymphoblasts from 10 patients with acute lymphatic leukemia or stage IV malignant lymphoma were studied cytochemically and investigated for rosette-forming capacity with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as a T [thymus derived] cell surface marker. SRBC binding capacity and acid phosphatase or .beta.-glucuronidase were tested simultaneously in single lymphocytes isolated from normal blood donors. The presence of acid phosphatase (and .beta.-glucuronidase) may represent a functional state of lymphocytes or lymphoblasts qualitatively independent of T cell differentiation, but quantitatively more pronounced in T cells than in B [bone marrow derived] lymphocytes or non-T lymphoblasts.