Definitive identification of human T cells in formalin fixed paraffin wax embedded tissue.

The use of a new monoclonal antibody, BF1, which reacts in routinely fixed tissues, directed against the beta chain of the T cell antigen receptor was assessed to determine its reactivity in a variety of normal tissues as well as in a number of B and T cell tumours and other lymphoid disorders. It reacted with all five of the unequivocal T cell tumours tested. BF1 will have widespread use in the assessment of lymphoid tissues in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the differential diagnosis of tumours.