A method and reagent system for the rapid isolation, identification, and/or analysis of leukocytes from a whole blood sample. The reagent system includes a lytic reagent solution comprising an aqueous solution of a water soluble compound which at least partially dissociates in aqueous solution to release a proton and a counterion and which, upon contact with a blood sample, acidifies the sample to a pH in the range of from about 2.6 to 4.0. The reagent system also includes a quenching reagent solution comprising an aqueous alkaline salt solution which effectively and rapidly arrests the chemical action of the lytic reagent solution on the sample and restores the native physiological environment of the sample. The method comprises using the reagent system to selectively lyse the red blood cells in a blood sample and modify the leukocytes to enable their differentiation into five sub-populations.
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