CLL is characterized by an accumulation of monoclonal B lymphocytes expressing CD5 and CD23 molecules, but critical low amounts of surface Ig and CD79β molecules.17 Among B-cell malignancies, this phenotypic feature is unique to CLL and correlates with a defective tyrosine kinase activity resulting in reduced tyrosine phosphorylation upon stimulation through the BCR pathway, although a majority of UM cases (2/3), which exhibit a low response, appear to respond better than mutated ones. The gene discussed is CD79B; the disease is B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.