Immunological characteristics of lymphoblasts and lymphocytes in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children

By analysing the electrophoretic mobility (EM) of lymphocytes and by comparing their surface charge it is possible to distinguish rapid-moving lymphocytes (T) and slow-moving lymphocytes (B). The authors studied the EM of blood lymphocytes in children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, before they underwent treatment. At the same time they carried out a study of classical immunological markers (E rosettes, membrane immunoglobulins, and blastic-transformation ability). The authors were able to distinguish three types of lymphocytes according to their EM i.e., rapid, slow or intermediate. This heterogeneousness could be explained by the fact that the origin of leukaemic proliferation may vary according to different stages in the maturation of the lymphoid cells. It would seem premature to establish any correlation between the initial clinical signs of the disease and its evolution.