Fig. 1.

Representative CDR3 size profiles from (a) a normal individual, (b) a patient who responded to splenectomy and (c) a patient who did not respond to splenectomy. Fluorescence intensity of CDR3 fragments is recorded on the y axis versus molecular weight on the x axis. In the normal scenario, CDR3 size profiles should exhibit a bell shape (for example, panel (a), Vβ4, Vβ17), indicating a balanced (Gaussian) distribution of variously sized cDNA fragments, and thus polyclonality. A reduced peak number (panel (b), Vβ21) or dominant peaks (panel (c), Vβ5) disrupt the Gaussian shape and signify oligoclonality within a given Vβ subfamily.