Lymphocyte Proliferation to Mitogens, Blood

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB2111124, Beaker: MitogenBlood, MAYO: LPMGF

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

Collect specimens Monday – Thursday, before 12:00 pm only. Specimens must be sent out the same day as collection.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One or Dark Green-top Sodium Heparin tube.

Specimen must remain in original tubes. Critical Ambient. Do not centrifuge or refrigerate.

Pediatric Volume:
<3 months:                      1.0 mL
3 – 24 months:                3.0 mL
25 months – 18 years:   5.0 mL

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Do not centrifuge, refrigerate, or freeze specimens. Maintain specimens in original collection tubes and transport immediately to the Laboratory.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 10.0 mL whole blood, at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F). (Minimum: 5.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Gross hemolysis.
• Gross lipemia.
• Specimens that are refrigerated or frozen.
• Specimens that are older than 48 hours before arrival at Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Do not centrifuge, refrigerate, or freeze specimens. Maintain specimens in original collection tubes and transport immediately to the Laboratory.

Transport: 10.0 mL whole blood, at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F). (Minimum: 5.0 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 48 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): Unacceptable
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Rochester, MN.

Performed

Monday – Friday.
Results available in 8-11 days.

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Flow Cytometry

Clinical Utility

Lymphocyte proliferation is tested in response to a variety of antigens and mitogens to evaluate T-cell mediated immune response. Please contact Send Outs lab directly at 248-551-9045, when ordering this test.

Phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, candida antigen and tetanus antigen are tested independently in lymphocyte culture. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to these mitogens and antigens is determined by H-thymidine incorporation. Results are reported as the counts per minute (CPM) mitogen or antigen stimulated versus a control culture and a Stimulation Index (SI) which represents the ratio of CPM of the stimulated lymphocytes to the mean CPM of the unstimulated lymphocytes.

Clinical Disease

Patients with T-cell immunodeficiency diseases, including severe combined immunodeficiency, DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, ataxia telangiectasia, and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis may have defective lymphocyte responses to nonspecific mitogens and/or to specific antigens, such as Candida or tetanus. Patients with severe T-cell defects, such as severe combined immunodeficiency, may be appropriate candidates for bone marrow or stem cell transplants.

CPT Codes

86353

Contacts

Last Updated

12/22/2025