Identification and study of the various leukocytes, particularly of the leukemic ones. (Principles and some technical details).

Based on the main data from the specialty literature and on their own experience in the field, the authors present the principles and some details of the classical and the modern techniques used to identify and study the various leukocytes and especially the leukemic ones. These different methods of investigation are included into the wide categories of histologic, cytomorphologic, cytochemical, cytoenzymatic, cytoimmunological, cytogenetic, cell culture and other complementary techniques. The great progress achieved in this domain was favoured by the development of light, contrast phase and fluorescent microscopy and of the new techniques of transmission and scanning electron microscopy--whose utility for the study of the white blood cells, and particularly of the leukemic ones, is demonstrated in this paper by numerous suggestive illustrations.