Table 1 lists some characteristics that help to distinguish large lymphocytes from monocytes.
| Cell | Image | Nucleus | Cytoplasm |
| Large lymphocyte | 
| - Oval, round, indented, "stretched
- Deep purplish-blue
- Dense
| - Sky-blue
- Clear, transparent
- No granules or azurophilic (reddish) granules
- Infrequent vacuoles
- Cytoplasm may be indented by surrounding cells
|
| Monocyte |  | - Round, oval, indented, convoluted
- Pale purplish-blue
- Fine, lacy, spongy
| - Blue-gray
- Cloudy, opaque, "ground-glass" appearance
- Fine granules
- Frequent vacuoles
- Cytoplasm may have pseudopods
|
