Final answer:
Lymphocytes are characterized by a large, dark-staining nucleus with dense and finely stippled chromatin and minimal cytoplasm, typical of agranular leukocytes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic appearance of a lymphocyte is a white blood cell with a large nucleus and a small rim of cytoplasm. Lymphocytes can absorb Wright stain which makes their large nuclei appear dark colored under a microscope. They are agranular leukocytes, which means their cytoplasm contains smaller, less-visible granules compared to granular leukocytes. The nucleus of a lymphocyte is typically round and not multilobed, with dense and finely stippled chromatin. Lymphocytes, such as NK cells, are essential for the immune response and arise from lymphoid stem cells.
The size of lymphocytes varies, but the smaller cells are typically 6-9 μm and have a larger volume of nucleus to cytoplasm, creating a "halo" effect, while large lymphocytes are 10-14 μm and have a smaller nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio with more granules. In summary, the correct description of a lymphocyte's appearance is: Small round nucleus, dense and finely stippled chromatin, minimal cytoplasm.