beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase, a new cytochemical marker of human lymphocyte subpopulations.

beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase staining characteristics of rosetted or non-rosetted normal and malignant lymphoid cells were compared with those observed after nonspecific esterase and acid phosphatase staining. With the three cytochemical techniques a similar staining pattern was observed in T cells (E-rosettes), their subpopulations T mu and T gamma, B cells and the non-T, non-B cells, as well as in the T cell populations defined with the monoclonal antibodies OKT3,4 and 8. T mu cells mostly displayed a "dot-like" reaction, T gamma and the non-T, non-B cells a "fine to heavy granular" reaction, while most B cells were negative. OKT4 and OKT8 positive lymphocytes showed for the larger part a dot-like staining pattern, however, the frequency of cells with a granular pattern was distinctly higher in the OKT8, than in the OKT4 positive cells. E(+)mIg(-) and E(-)mIg(-) A.L.L. blasts stained either with a dot-like or granular pattern or failed to react when stained cytochemically for beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase, nonspecific esterase and acid phosphatase activity. Only in a few instances a discrepancy was observed between the types of staining for esterase and acid phosphatase on one hand and those for beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase on the other.