Pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a disease characterized by the occurrence of complex fibro-cellular interstitial lesions dominated by Langerhans' cells (LC), which occurs predominantly in young adult smokers. We undertook this retrospective study to better define the lymphohistiocytic cell populations in PLCH in order to obtain a greater insight into its pathogenesis. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, surgically excised, archival lung tissue from seven patients (two males, five females; average age 34.9 years) was immunostained with a panel of antibodies for lymphohistiocytic markers: CD1a, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD15, CD20, CD56, TIA-1, CD68-PGM1, Mac387, and mast cell tryptase. Double immunolabeling was performed with CD1a/Mac387. Leder cytochemical stain for chloroacetate esterase was also performed. A moderate number of lymphocytes, predominantly T lymphocytes, were scattered diffusely within the lesions. The mean CD4/CD8 ratio was 0.1/1. The CD3/CD8 ratio (1.18/1) substantiated the CD4/CD8 ratio. The CD8 subset was CD56-negative and TIA-1-positive, indicating a cytotoxic T lymphocyte phenotype. CD68-PGM1 was strongly positive in alveolar macrophages (AM) and weakly stained LC. Mac387, a marker of activated macrophages, weakly stained AM, while highlighting other interstitial cells. These interstitial cells appeared not to be LC (substantiated by CD1a/Mac387 dual labeling) or CD68-PGM-1-positive macrophages. Having excluded mast cells (positive with mast cell tryptase) and neutrophils (positive with CD15 and Leder stains), there appeared to be a residual population of non-Langerhans cell monocytoid cells (NLMC), which were Mac 387+, CD68-PGM1-, Mast cell tryptase-, CD15-, and CD1a-. Our results showed a predominance of CD8+, TIA-1+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes among the lymphocyte subsets which appear to interact with LC and AM in PLCH lesions. A small sub-population of NLMC was also present. Further studies are required to better define and to evaluate the role of cytotoxic T cells and NLMC in the pathogenesis of PLCH.