T and B lymphocytes in AIDS. Morphological aspects.

This paper presents scanning electron microscopic features of T and B Lymphocytes in patients affected with AIDS and ARC and compares these results with others obtained in patients showing an immunodeficiencey associated with therapy for oncological diseases and in normal healthy donors. The SEM observations showed some surface alterations of the lymphocytes consisting in protrusions, buddings and characteristic "bowl-shaped" cavities particularly evident on the lymphocytes' surface of end stage patients suffering from AIDS. Similar aspects were not found in the other groups including the healthy donors. These lymphocyte surface alterations might likely correspond to the first sign of cell disfunction and therefore represent an early marker of this complex disease.