The cell surface phenotype of cytolytic T lymphocyte precursors (CTL-P) in congenitally athymic C57BL/6 nu/nu mice has been investigated. CTL-P were detected and quantitated in a limited dilution mixed leukocyte microculture assay system supplemented with interleukin 2. Minimal estimates of the frequency of CTL-P among nylon wool passed (NWP) nude spleen cells were obtained following elimination of Thy-1-bearing or Lyt-2-bearing cells with monoclonal antibodies plus complement. Alternatively, NWP spleen cells bearing Thy-1 or Lyt-2 were positively selected on a cell sorter and assayed for CTL-P frequency. Both positive and negative selection techniques demonstrated that essentially all (greater than 98%) CTL-P in NWP nude spleen expressed Thy-1 and that the majority (80-90%) expressed Lyt-2. In control NWP spleen cells from normal C57BL/6 mice, greater than 98% of CTL-P were positive for both Thy-1 and Lyt-2. These data demonstrate that most functional alloreactive CTL-P developing in the apparent absence of thymic influence already express both Thy-1 and Lyt-2 prior to exposure to antigen.