Lymphocyte isolation from chronically inflamed synovial membranes.

A simple two-step procedure was developed for isolation of lymphocytes from chronically inflamed human synovial membranes. In the first step minced inflamed synovial tissues are disrupted enzymatically by deoxyribonuclease and collagenase. The second step consists of nylon-wool column filtration of the isolated cells. 7 min of preincubation of up to 37.4 X 10(6) cells in a column packed with 600 mg nylon-wool in 6 ml prior to filtration did not result in significant selective losses of either T or B cells, whereas 45 min of preincubation did. Recovery of lymphocytes after nylon-wool column filtration ranged from 68 to 95% (mean 80%) and viability was always higher than 90%. Nylon-wool column filtration increased the proportion of lymphocytes by a mean 73%. The method allows rapid identification of synovial tissue lymphocyte subpopulations as well as characterization of their function.