A bone marrow review on a 15-year-old girl with acute leukemia revealed many blasts with the following characteristics: high N:C ratio, prominent nucleoli, open chromatin pattern, and basophilic cytoplasm

Cytochemical staining revealed negative reactivity with MPO and SBB. Nonspecific esterase was positive. No cytogenetic abnormalities were detected. What is the most likely lineage of the blast cells in question?

a. Myeloid
b. Lymphoid
c. Monocytic
d. Erythroid

Correct Answer: C