Lymphocyte subset reference ranges in healthy Saudi Arabian children.

In an attempt to establish the reference ranges for lymphocyte subsets in children, the distribution of lymphocyte population-bearing surface markers such as CD3 (T cells), CD19 (B cells), CD4 (T helper/inducer cells), CD8 (T suppressor/cytotoxic cells), and CD16 and/or CD56 on CD3- cells (NK cells) has been studied among healthy Saudi Arabian infants and children. Normal adult blood donors were used for comparison. Anticoagulated peripheral blood was stained with monoclonal antibodies and the lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry for the expression of the above markers.