@article{72d23f15855a4ef590901ab015f7ef70,
title = "The circulating {"}atypical{"} lymphocyte",
abstract = "Atypical lymphocytes have been observed in the peripheral blood of patients in a large number of clinical situations, including immune reactions to transplantation and immunization, collagen diseases and other autoimmune disorders, malignant disease, drug reactions, and infectious mononucleosis, as well as other bacterial and viral infections. These cells are readily identified by their increased sized and the presence of active DNA synthesis. In morphology, they closely resemble lymphocytes transformed into blasts by exposure to mitogens or antigens in vitro. They vary in morphologic detail as well as surface marker characteristics, indicating that they comprise a heterogeneous mixture of cell types. These data suggest that atypical lymphocytes may represent a polyclonal immune response to antigenic stimulation.",
author = "Shiftan, {Thomas A.} and John Mendelsohn",
note = "Funding Information: Whereas small circulating peripheral lymphoc};tes are relatively inert cells metabolically, sucll lympbocytes, when cultured and stimulated in vitro with mitogens or antigens, undergo morphologic and metabolic changes collectively described as blast transformation.t ' o This in vitro stimulation results in cellular proliferation with increased synthesis of protein, RNA, and DNA) '-~ Following blast transformation, the cultured lymphocytes may evidence diverse biologic functions, including lympbo-kine l)roduction, immunoglobulin synthesis, cytotoxicity, and suppression of immu-noglobttlin producing ceils. 2-z Presumably these in vitro phenomena are representa- tire of the potential in vivo biologic flmc-tions of circulating small iyml)hocytes. Tile capacity of the circulating small lymphocyte to respond to an antigenic challenge in vivo is demoustrated by delayed hypersensitivity to skin testing antigens? The finding of circulating l)eril)heral blood lymphocytes with morphologic and metabolic similarities to the in vitro transformed lym-plmcyte suggests that these circulating cells have been activated by antigens in vivo; however, the functional significance of their transformation remains unknown. Such cells, known as atypical lymphocytes because of their morphology, were first described by Tiirk G in 1907 and have been ment Award CA70891 fi-om the National Cancer Institute. I)r. Shiftan was supported by NIH Training Grant I ! L07107.",
year = "1978",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1016/S0046-8177(78)80007-0",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "9",
pages = "51--61",
journal = "Human Pathology",
issn = "0046-8177",
publisher = "W.B. Saunders Ltd",
number = "1",
}