Final answer:
The WBC histogram for a patient with high levels of variant lymphocytes can vary widely and may not show a distinct peak. Immunophenotyping through flow cytometry using fluorescently labeled antibodies provides insights into the relative quantity and condition of various white blood cell types, including atypical lymphocytes indicative of infections or malignancies like lymphoma.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient has a high level of variant lymphocytes, the WBC (white blood cell) histogram may show an atypical pattern. The correct answer to what a WBC histogram would look like if a patient has a high level of variant lymphs is: D) The shape of the histogram can vary widely, and atypical lymphocytes may not have a distinct peak. Variant lymphocytes, often associated with infections or certain malignancies like lymphoma, can present with irregular shapes and sizes, making them difficult to categorize in a standard histogram peak. This atypical appearance can be identified using flow cytometry, a technique that can create a histogram where cells are represented based on their light-scattering and fluorescence characteristics.
In flow cytometry, antibodies with fluorescent markers target specific molecules on cells, such as CD8 on T cells. If a histogram shows that the peak corresponding to CD8 T cells is three times greater than another peak, it indicates that there is a relatively higher number of CD8 T cells, which could be due to an immune response, likely in the context of recovery from an infection like influenza.
From an infectious disease perspective, an increased number of white blood cells and variations in cell types can signal an ongoing immune response to a pathogen or an aberrant condition such as cancer. A histogram skewed to the right with a second peak representing variant lymphs could also be indicative of an abnormal lymphocyte population, as seen in conditions like Burkitt lymphoma. Ultimately, immunohistochemistry and other diagnostic tools are employed to help identify the specific subtypes of cells, including variant lymphs, within a sample.