Recently, monoclonal antibodies and immunofluorescence analysis by flow cytometry provide a highly sensitive and specific approach to phenotypic analysis of human mononuclear cell subsets. On this point of view, flow cytometric analysis using monoclonal antibodies to various cell surface antigen have been usefull for immunomonitoring of various autoimmune disorders.
In this report, clinical utility of lymphocyte subsets such as CD4+, CD8+ T cells, Ia+ T cells, Leu-1 B cells and CR 1+ cells were described. For example: the CD4+ subset contains helper/inducer T lymphocytes, and the CD8+ subset contains suppressor/ cytotoxic T lymphocytes: Ia+ T cells contains activated T cells: Leu-1+ B cells have been usually found in B-CLL and these B cell subsets are elevated in RA and secrete IgM-RF: The CR 1+ cells reflect diverse complement levels and kinetics: Examination of these cell subset may give rise to beneficial mean to estimate immunological kinetics of autoimmune disorders.