42 The Lymphocyte and Lymphocytic Tissue 



With short incubation times the lymphocytes (one of thirteen patients) 

 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia revealed increased phosphatase reactions, 

 while the lymphocytes in acute lymphocytic leukemia were essentially lack- 

 ing in enzymatic activity. 57 With prolonged incubation times, 14 to 18 

 hours, the lymphoid cells in normal human lymph nodes (Fig. 3-39) and 

 spleen show a positive reaction with the calcium phosphate method. 1 ' 3 A 

 nonspecific nuclear reaction is most prominent with this technique, 1 ' " 

 while the cytoplasm of the lymphocytes and lymphoblasts shows a weak re- 

 action for alkaline phosphatase activity. 1 Lymphoid cells from lymph nodes 

 exhibit no increase in phosphatase activity in lymphosarcoma or chronic 

 lymphocytic leukemia with the Gomori method. 1 The interpretation of 

 positive reactions of lymphoid cells as indicating alkaline phosphatase must 

 be guarded. 5-Nucleotidase activity is demonstrable in the cells of the 

 germinal centers of normal human lymph nodes, but these investigators 

 were unable to demonstrate alkaline phosphatase activity by either the 

 Gomori method or the azo dye procedures. 23 



The alkaline phosphatase activity of normal lymphocytes is markedly 

 altered in the lymph nodes (Figs. 3-41, 3-42) and spleen of rats within two 

 hours following total body x-radiation at which time there is a decrease in 

 phosphatase activity of the lymphocytes as measured by the calcium phos- 

 phate method of Gomori. 3 



Acid Phosphatase. Some lymphocytes in the normal blood have yielded 

 a positive reaction for acid phosphatase localizing in their cytoplasm near 

 the cytocentrum following the lead phosphate method of Gomori. 82 When 

 this reaction is applied to lymph nodes by using prolonged incubation times 

 (Fig.3-38), a variable reaction is obtained in the lymphoid cells, with 

 lymphoblasts exhibiting a somewhat more intense cytoplasmic reaction than 

 the more mature lymphocytes. 1 However, most investigators 23 have failed 

 to demonstrate acid phosphatase activity in the lymphocytes of the blood 

 and lymphatic tissue. Nonspecific nuclear staining may be observed in the 

 lymphocytes in both the blood and lymphatic tissue following the Gomori 

 procedure. The positive reaction of lymphoid cells to the Gomori method 

 must be interpreted with caution. 



Lymphocytes present in guinea pig spleen are negative following the azo 

 dye methods for acid phosphatase employing alpha-naphthyl phosphate as 

 the substrate, 2 "' but with 6-benzoyl-2-naphthyl phosphate splenic tissue is 

 stained although germinal centers fail to react unless incubation times are 

 prolonged. 88 Acid phosphatase activity could not be demonstrated in normal 

 human lymph nodes when the 6-benzoyl-2-naphthyl phosphate substrate was 

 employed. 23 



Esterase and Lipase. Lipase and esterase activity has not been demon- 



