HematologyOutlines - Atlas
Primary Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissue ›› Bone Marrow ›› Normal

Immature T-cell precursor*


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› Microscopic Features:
  • 3-4x larger than a mature RBC
  • High nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio
  • Round Nucleus with immature chromatin (not clumped)
  • Prominent nucleoli
  • Cytoplasm is scant, light blue and lacks granules
› Normal % blood-PB, marrow-BM, lymphoid tissue-LN:
  • PB: None
  • BM: Rare (~1%)
  • LN: None
› May Resemble:
  • Myeloblast
  • Pronormoblast
  • Immature B-cell (hematogone)
  • Monoblast
  • Prolymphocyte
  • Reactive lymphocyte
› Differential Diagnoses:

If in blood or increased numbers in bone marrow:
T-Lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)
Rarely some non-neoplastic conditions

› Classic Immunophenotype:
  • CD3+ (cytoplasmic)
  • CD7+
› Cartoon Image:



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RBC
for direct comparison

› Misc:
  • Very immature cells cannot be reliably distinguished from each other based on morphology alone. The exception are blasts with Auer Rod(s) which are unique to abnormal Myeloblasts and abnormal promyelocytes as noted in APL