Leukemic cells from 10 patients with B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) were isolated and cultured in the presence of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) at a concentration of 8 x 10(-7) mol for 72 hours. Cells were analyzed before cultivation and after 72 h of cultivation with and without TPA for changes in surface membrane (Sm) and cytoplasmic (cyt) markers expression, presence of receptor for mouse rosette forming cells (MRFC) and some enzyme profiles. All B-CLL cases studied showed typical B-cell phenotype. TPA treatment induced hairy cell leukemia (HCL) characteristics, given by the membrane CD22 and CD25 expression and TRAP positivity in the majority of the cases tested. Cells had hairy cell-like morphology with more intensive cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (CIg) fluorescence staining, absent receptor for MRFC and increased activity of purine nucleosidephosphorylase. In common these changes indicate that TPA can induce hairy cell characteristics on B-CLL cells in vitro suggesting the more mature differentiation stage of HCL compared with CLL. Furthermore, we originally demonstrated that the CD22, present in the cell membrane after TPA, could be detected in the majority of unaffected B-CLL cells in their cytoplasm. From the technical point of view some intracellular CD markers and Igs of B-CLL cells in viable cells in suspension assayed by flow cytometry are described in this study.