AET-treated sheep red blood cell and immunobead for combined detection of human peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations.

This paper describes a method for the simultaneous determination of human thymus-dependent lymphocyte (T cell) and thymus-independent lymphocyte (B cell) populations by mixing lymphocytes, sheep red blood cells, and immunobeads. This method also detects lymphocytes possessing both T and B cell markers. T cells are detected by rosette formation with AET-treated sheep red blood cells and B cells are identified by rosette formation with polyacrylamide gel coated with antibody specific to immunoglobulin classes. The major advantages of this technique is that it is simple, convenient, and reproducible. Three different types of rosettes are distinguishable under light microscopic observation. The detection of double marker lymphocytes, using this combined technique, may have further application in clinical investigation.