Detection and isolation of cytokine secreting cells using the cytometric cytokine secretion assay.

The cell-surface affinity matrix technology, otherwise called "secretion assay" or "capture assay," represents a new, innovative method for the analysis and enrichment of viable cells according to secreted molecules such as antibodies or cytokineof T cells to induce cytokine secretion is included. Alternate protocols provide very rapid and simple procedures for the direct detection of antigen-specific T cells from small numbers of PBMCs or whole blood without magnetic enrichment.