Studies on leukemic cells in a patient suffering from exfoliative dermatitis (due to chronic lymphatic leukemia),...

Lymphocytes (T cells and B cells) of a patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL) were studied immunologically and scanning electron microscopically. The subpopulation percentage of rosette forming cells (T cell) and surface immunoglobulin bearing cells (B cell) were decreased in the peripheral blood. Moreover, tritiated thymidine uptake by lymphocytes in the cell culture stimulated by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), porkweed mitogen (PWM) and purified protein derivatives (PPDs) was decreased. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed many long villi on the surface of the lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, which implies B cell origin, Observation by electron microscopic immunohistochemistry using the ferritin antibody technique revealed that beta1C/beta1A receptors normally seen on the B cells were also seen on the leukemic lymphocytes. Thus it appears that the leukemic cells in the peripheral blood of this patient are functionally and morphologically abnormal B cells.