Hairy cell leukemia: a B-lymphocytic disorder derived from splenic marginal zone lymphocytes?

Although there is increasing evidence that the majority of cases of hairy cell leukemia represent B-lymphoproliferative disorders, the exact subset of B-cells from which hairy cells are derived, is still unclear. On the basis of results obtained in previous studies, and data collected from the literature, it is suggested that B-lymphocytes normally residing in the marginal zone of the splenic white pulp (so called 'marginal zone lymphocytes') represent the cell type from which B-lineage derived hairy cells originate.