Objective To investigate the characteristics of Hodgkin/Reed Sternberg (H/R S) cells found in patients with various types of Hodgkin’s disease (HD) Methods H/R S cells were micropicked from frozen sections of tissues affected by HD The DNA from these cells was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using immunoglobulin heavy chain gene FRⅢa/JH primers and light chain gene family specific primers Results A total of 52/135 (35 8%) isolated cells showed the specific products in the reactions IgH and V κ4 rearrangements were repeatedly found in many cells from a lymphocyte predominance type sample; repeated V κ4 and individual IgH/V κ2,4 rearrangements and individual IgH, V λ3 / V κ4 rearrangements were found in two different cases of the nodular sclerosis type; repeated IgH/ V λ3 and individual V λ2,4 rearrangements, repeated V κ2,4 rearrangements, repeated V κ4 and individual IgH/ V κ3 rearrangements, repeated IgH and individual V κ3 / V λ4 rearrangements were detected in 3 cases of the mixed cellularity type Repeated and individual IgH rearrangements were found in other 2 cases Conclusion The H/R S cells isolated from the lymphocyte predominance subtypes of HD have IgH and V λ4 gene rearrangements This suggests that the lymphocyte predominance type is a proliferation of neoplastic B cells The cells isolated from the mixed cellularity and nodular sclerosis types derive from B lineage cells at various stages of differentiation because of the presence of their IgH, κ and/or λ gene rearrangements To our knowledge, this is the first time that the λ gene rearrangement was detected in H/R S cells Objective To investigate the characteristics of Hodgkin/Reed Sternberg (H/RS) cells found in patients with various types of Hodgkin’s disease (HD) Methods H/RS cells were micropicked from frozen sections of tissues affected by HD The DNA from these cells was increased By polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using immunoglobulin heavy chain gene FRIIIa/JH primers and light chain gene family specific primers Results A total of 52/135 (35 8%) isolated cells showed the specific products in the IgH and V κ4 rearrangements were Repeated incubated in many cells from a lymphocyte predominance type sample; repeated V κ4 and individual IgH/V κ2,4 rearrangements and individual IgH, V λ3 / V κ4 rearrangements were found in two different cases of the nodular sclerosis type; repeated IgH / V Λ3 and individual V λ2,4 rearrangements, repeated V κ2,4 rearrangements, repeated V κ4 and individual IgH/ V κ3 rearrangements, Repeated IgH and individual V κ3 / V λ4 rearrangements were detected in 3 cases of the mixed cellularity type Repeated and individual IgH rearrangements were found in other 2 cases Conclusion The H/RS cells isolated from the lymphocyte predominance subtypes of HD have IgH and V λ4 Gene rearrangements this suggests that the lymphocyte predominance type is a proliferation of neoplastic B cells The cells isolated from the mixed cellularity and nodular sclerosis types derives B lineage cells at various stages of differentiation because of the presence of their IgH, κ and/or λ Gene rearrangements To our knowledge, this is the first time that the λ gene rearrangement was detected in H/RS cells