CD19 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that contains two extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains. CD19 is present in both benign and malignant B-cells and is considered to be the most reliable surface marker of this lineage over a wide range of maturational stages. In normal lymphoid tissue, CD19 is observed in germinal centers, in mantle zone cells, and in scattered cells of the inter-follicular areas. Anti-CD19 exhibits an overall immunoreactivity pattern similar to those of the antibodies against CD20 and CD22. However, in contrast to CD20, expression of CD19 is continuous throughout B-cell development and through terminal differentiation of B-cells into plasma cells. Anti-CD19 positivity is seen in the vast majority of B-cell neoplasms commonly at a lower intensity than normal B-cell counterparts. Plasma cell neoplasms are nearly always negative, as are T-cell neoplasms.
