The process in which a relatively unspecialized precursor cell acquires specialized features of a lymphocyte. A lymphocyte is a leukocyte commonly found in the blood and lymph that has the characteristics of a large nucleus, a neutral staining cytoplasm, and prominent heterochromatin.

lymphocyte cell differentiation, lymphocytic blood cell differentiation

GO:0046650

biological_process

lymphocyte development

GO:0030098

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/uberon.owl, http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/go.owl, http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/cl.owl

• regulation of lymphocyte differentiation

• common lymphoid progenitor
• lymphoid lineage restricted progenitor cell