The nature of hairy cells - a study with a panel of monoclonal antibodies

In all 11 patients with hairy-cell leukaemia (HCL) tested, a high percentage of peripheral blood and splenic (3 cases) hairy cells (HCs) reacted with 2 B-cell-specific monoclonal antibodies (FMC1 and FMC7), but failed to stain with 5 monocyte/macrophage-specific (FMC17, UCHM1, SM1, SMø and OKM1) and with 4 T-cell-specific antibodies (UCHT1, Leu1, 2a and 3a). The data provide further evidence in support of the B-cell nature of the HCs of HCL.