Methods to detect clonal gene rearrangements in lymphomas and leukemias.

The process of lymphocyte differentiation involves structural alterations of specific genes including those for the immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor (TCR) antigen genes. This process occurs very early in the differentiation of B- and T-lymphocytes and involves an ordered program for splicing and rearranging segments of these genes, depending on cell lineage and level of differentiation. Specific DNA cutting and splicing enzymes result in the removal of a number of constant, joining, and variable segments of the Ig and TCR genes.