title: TdT-positive and TdT-negative human leukemic cells: specific density and morphology.
abstract: Peripheral blood cells from 9 E- and 6 D+ SIg- ALL patients and from 11 CML patients in TdT+ blastic crisis were subjected to discontinuous albumin gradient separation according to Dicke's method, and TdT assayed in the six fractions recovered therefrom. The major results were: (i) in E- ALL and in CML-BC, TdT+ cells could be recovered either within a narrow range of specific densities or were spread over most of the gradient, which might suggest differences in cell maturation among the patients; (ii) in some instances, most leukemic blasts were found in TdT-negative or faintly positive fractions; (iii) in most, but not all, E- All and BC, the majority of TdT+ cells was found in low density fractions; (iv) all E+ ALL had high density TdT+ cells. Cell Fractions of most patients were also examined at the electron microscope, and correlations between morphology and marker characterization were tentatively drawn.
mesh_terms: D002469:Cell Separation; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron
chemical_list: D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase