To compare the expression of CD antigens on immune cells from umbilical cord blood (UCB) and bone marrow (BM) and analyze its clinical significance, the phenotypes of lymphoid cells and nucleated cells from 38 UCB and 10 BM samples were investigated by flow cytometry with double labeling monoclonal antibodies. The results showed that the immature lymphocytes (CD3(-) CD4(+)) were detected in UCB and higher than those in BM; cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD3(+) CD16(+) CD56(+)) in UCB were significantly lower than those in BM. NK cells (CD3(-) CD16(+) CD56(+)) in UCB were higher than those in BM. The ratio of CD34(+) cells in nucleated cells of UCB was similar to that of BM, however, both the contents of myeloid (CD34(+) CD13(+) and CD34(+) HLA-DR(+)) and lymphoid (CD34(+) CD19(+)) progenitor cells in UCB were lower than those in BM. It is concluded that the immune cells in UCB possess immaturity, which might lead to mild GVHD after UCB transplantation. It is inferred from the higher ratio of NK cells in UCB, GVL will not decrease after UCB transplantation. The lower contents of myeloid and lymphoid progenitor cells in UCB probably accounted for the slow hematopoiesis and immune reconstitution following UCB transplantation.