Abstract
Lymphocytes and lymphoblasts from 31 patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma were studied and compared with thymic lymphoblasts of human fetuses by using acid phosphatase and nonspecific acid esterase stains. Both enzymes could be demonstrated in T lymphoblastic lymphoma and weaker and more diffuse reaction pattern or even negative results were obtained in B lymphoblasts, B lymphocytes and non-T lymphoblasts. As in acid phosphatase reaction nonspecific acid esterase activity was demonstrated as coarse localized paranuclear reaction products. In most cases acid phosphatase reaction was more pronounced than nonspecific acidesterase activity. This corresponds to the reaction pattern of fetal thymocytes.
