Cells which contain S-100 protein in Hodgkin's disease: a quantitative study.

Paraffin sections from a series of 50 lymph nodes affected by Hodgkin's disease were examined by means of the unlabelled primary antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method to detect those cells which contained S-100 protein. In addition, 15 lymph nodes showing reactive follicular hyperplasia were studied. A simple enumeration procedure (eyepiece graticule) was used to count the number of such cells in 20 standard 25 X microscope fields. In the specimens of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease many cells positive for S-100 protein were present, in contrast to the other Rye subtypes, which showed a relative paucity. By comparison, the lymph nodes showing reactive follicular hyperplasia contained a similar number of cells containing S-100 to those seen in the nodular sclerosing lymph nodes affected by Hodgkin's disease.