Lymphoblast

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lymphoblasts are immature cells which typically differentiate to form mature lymphocytes. Normally lymphoblasts are found in the bone marrow, but in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), lymphoblasts proliferate uncontrollably and are found in large numbers in the peripheral blood.

Although commonly lymphoblast refers to a precursor cell in the maturation of leukocytes, the usage of this term is sometimes inconsistent. The Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Research Consortium defines a lymphoblast as "A lymphocyte that has become larger after being stimulated by an antigen. Lymphoblasts look like immature lymphocytes, and were once thought to be precursor cells."^[1]. Commonly, when speaking about leukemia, "blast" is used as an abbreviation for lymphoblasts.

[edit] Additional images

Blood cell lineage

They are 2.5 micrometres in size.

[edit] References

1. ^ CRC - Glossary L

[edit] External links

• lymphoblast at eMedicine Dictionary

v • d • e Blood General Plasma - Hematopoietic stem cells Lymphoid - WBC T cells: Cytotoxic CD8+, Helper CD4+/Regulatory, γδ, Natural Killer T cell B cells: Plasma, Memory Natural killer cells (Lymphokine-activated killer cell) Null cell Myeloid - WBC Monocytes/Macrophages (Histiocytes, Kupffer cells, Langhans giant cells, Microglia, Osteoclasts) Granulocytes (Neutrophil, Eosinophil, Basophil) - Mast cell precursors Dendritic cells (Langerhans cells, Follicular dendritic cells Megakaryoblast - Megakaryocyte - Platelets Myeloid - RBC Reticulocyte - Normoblast