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Updated: Oct 20, 2025
Flow Cytometric Characterization of Murine B Cell Development
Published on: January 22, 2021
Indolent B-Lineage Precursor Populations Identified by Flow Cytometry and Immunohistochemistry in Benign Lymph Nodes
Andrew B Stone1, Bartosz J Grzywacz1, Elizabeth L Courville2
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Insights
Normal B-cell precursors, called hematogones, were identified in benign lymph nodes using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Recognizing these normal cells is crucial to prevent misdiagnosis as a B-cell neoplasm.
Area of Science:
- Hematopathology
- Immunophenotyping
- B-cell development
Background:
- Benign lymph nodes can exhibit cellular populations that mimic neoplastic cells.
- Accurate identification of cellular components in lymph nodes is critical for diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize normal B-cell precursor populations (hematogones) in benign lymph nodes.
- To differentiate hematogones from neoplastic B-cells using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 10 benign lymph node samples using flow cytometry.
- Immunohistochemical staining on five excisional biopsy specimens.
- Detailed categorization and enumeration of hematogones based on immunophenotype and maturation stages.
Main Results:
- Hematogones, ranging from 0.13% to 1.86% of leukocytes, were found in all 10 benign lymph node samples.
- Hematogones displayed a characteristic immunophenotype (CD19+/CD10+) and maturational pattern (stages 1-3) by flow cytometry.
- Immunohistochemistry revealed a perisinusoidal distribution of CD10+/CD20+ cells with a subset of TdT+ cells.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first detailed characterization of hematogone populations in benign lymph nodes using both flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.
- Distinguishing these normal B-cell precursors is essential to avoid misdiagnosis as a CD10+ B-cell neoplasm.
- Findings aid pathologists in accurate lymph node evaluation.
Objectives:
In this retrospective study, we report a series of benign lymph nodes showing small populations of normal B-cell precursors characterized by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.
Methods:
Ten cases identified during clinical flow cytometry practice were retrospectively reanalyzed with particular attention to hematogone categorization and enumeration. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on five excisional lymph node biopsy specimens to characterize the morphologic correlate.
Results:
Populations of hematogones ranging from 0.13% to 1.86% (median, 0.51%) of all viable leukocytes were demonstrated in 10 benign lymph node samples from eight different patients ranging in age from 17 to 45 years (median, 37.5). These hematogones showed a characteristic immunophenotype (CD19+/CD10+) and maturational pattern by flow cytometry, with progression from stage 1 (median, 0.03%) to stage 2 (median, 0.19%) to stage 3 (median, 0.26%) seen in all cases. Immunohistochemical staining on five excisional biopsy specimens demonstrated a distinct perisinusoidal distribution of CD10+/CD20+ cells with a subset of TdT+ cells, providing a morphologic correlate.
Conclusions:
To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize distinct hematogone populations within benign lymph nodes by both flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Recognizing these normal B-cell precursor populations is important to avoid their miscategorization as a CD10+ B-cell neoplasm.
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