This review of recent and new directions in clinical immunologic studies of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is restricted to the areas of lymphocyte surface markers, antigen binding lymphocytes, immune complexes, and lymphocyte hyporesponsiveness in lupus patients. First, it is not clear whether the T-lymphopenia observed in SLE is related to viral destruction of T cells, anti-lymphocyte antibodies, or tissue sequestration. Second, the increase in DNA-binding B lymphocytes observed in active lupus patients may be related to minor alterations in the balance of immunoregulatory T cells or to a bypass of DNA-specific helper T cells. Third, it is speculated that the removal of immune complexes which play a role in lupus glomerulitis by various extracorporeal immune absorbents may be important in the future therapy of SLE. Fourth, the mechanisms of T-lymphocyte hypofunction are unexplained. It is postulated from studies done in other diseases that this hypoactivity may be mediated by the secretion of prostaglandin or other humoral agents from one leukocyte subpopulation suppressing another potentially responsive lymphocyte subpopulation. Also an investigation into the lymphocyte subpopulation reactive with virus-infected fibroblasts may be useful in delineating immunoregulatory lymphocytes important in the pathogenesis of SLE.