title: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a heterogenous disease.
abstract: By using several techniques to detect surface markers on T and B lymphocytes, 11 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (A.L.L.) were studied. In four cases an insignificant number of markers were detected on the lymphoblast populations. In one case a significant number of blasts formed both sheep red blood cell rosettes and Fc rosettes, suggesting a T-cell origin for the neoplastic cells, and in another case the presence of Fc and C3 receptors on the lymphoblast population indicated a B-cell origin. In a further five cases 14-43% of the blasts had detectable surface immunoglobulin. It is concluded that A.L.L. is a heterogeneous disorder, some cases failing to express surface markers and others having either a T-or a B-lymphocyte origin or both.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002469:Cell Separation; D002498:Centrifugation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007104:Immune Adherence Reaction; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009439:Neuraminidase; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology; D013499:Surface Properties; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D009439:Neuraminidase