ABSTRACT. The degree of depolarization of fluorescence light emitted from an organic dye, used as a molecular probe, is a powerful tool in probing the microenvironment. Polarization measurements of intracellular exogenous fluorescein have been shown to reflect the physiological state of the cells. The relationship between intracellular fluorescein fluorescence polarization (IFFP) and cell cycle, was investigated in the leukemia T-lymphocyte Jurkat cell line. Jurkat T cells were cultured in increasing cell densities, their cell cycle progression cytometrically monitored and the IFFP measured. At the highest cell density, the subpopulation of cells at the resting phases the (G0/Gi) predominated, and the mean IFFP was 0.186 ±0.015. At the lowest density, with diminished proportion of cells in the Gi/G2 stages the mean IFFP decreased to 0. sis, Ca+2 mobilization and the induction of early protooncogenes. These events are followed by the increased expression of the genes for interleukine IL-2 and its receptor, leading to cell proliferation. Stimulation of T lymphocytes with PHAhas also