Learn about the three most important lines of latitude on Earth - the equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn. Learn about the three most important lines of latitude on Earth - the equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn.
General Discussion. Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare type of blood cancer characterized by abnormal changes in white blood cells known as B lymphocytes. The bone marrow creates too many of these defective cells, known as hairy cells because of the thin hair-like projections found on their surface.
Unlike healthy B cells, hairy cells express and secrete an immune system protein called Interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R). In HCL-V, only part of this receptor is expressed. As a result, disease status can be monitored by measuring changes in the amount of IL-2R in the blood serum.