Distribution of marker-specific lymphocyte subsets in healthy human subjects.

Cell membrane surface markers on peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy human subjects were analysed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies. Peripheral blood was obtained from 156 healthy individuals of both sexes, and ages ranging from 2-82 yr. The distribution of the lymphocytes with specific cell markers according to differences in sex and age was calculated. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) between sexes in the mean percentages of OKT4+ and OKT8+ cells and in the OKT4/8 ratio while the OKT3+, OKT10+ and OKIa1+ cells, and OKT4/8 ratio clearly correlated with age. A significant correlation among OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT8+, OKT11+ and OKIa1+ cells was obtained, and the results indicated that the percentage of a specific marker-positive cell varied under the influence of other marker-positive cells.