Atypical Lymphocytes

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The page below is a sample from the LabCE course Body Fluid Differential Tutorial. Access the complete course and earn ASCLS P.A.C.E.-approved continuing education credits by subscribing online.

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Atypical Lymphocytes

The image shown on the right depicts a cluster of cells containing both normal and atypical (reactive) lymphocytes. The variations in size, depth of color, and cytoplasmic volume are similar to what one would expect to observe on a peripheral blood smear.
There is a difference in the density of the chromatin in the lymphocytes as well as the uniformly regular nuclear shape. The atypical lymphocytes, indicated by the green arrows, are larger than the other lymphocytes and exhibit a larger amount of generally non-granular cytoplasm. One of the atypical lymphocytes has a few azurophilic granules in the Golgi area.

The cell indicated by the blue arrow is a monocyte. It has finer, less dense chromatin than a lymphocyte and an irregular nucleus.