A new cell line (LR10.6) with pre-B cell phenotype has been established from bone marrow cells obtained from a child with B lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia in complete clinical remission. The line expresses nuclear TdT enzyme, cytoplasmic Ig lambda-chain and membrane mu-chain and other B but no T or myeloid markers. The cells also show activation antigens CD69 and CD71, adhesion molecules CD54, CD50 and CD56 and the tyrosine kinase receptor CD117. No expression of multidrug resistance phenotype MDR-1 is observed on these cells which nevertheless express the transcriptional factor p53 protein in a mutant form. Cytogenetic study shows a translocation t(5;12)(q31;p13) involving breakpoints which contain the growth factor interleukin 3 gene (5q31) and the recently identified TEL/ETV6 gene (12p13). Activation of the cells with phorbol-12 myristate 13-acetate (PMA) up-regulates the expression of the CD69 activation antigen and down-regulates the CD117 molecule. In addition, PMA fails to induce the CD20 B cell antigen.