Subpopulations of human lymphocytes differing in receptors to mouse and sheep red blood cells.

A segregation procedure of human lymphocytes by successive rosetting with mouse and sheep red blood cells, and separation of rosettes by Ficoll Hypaque gradient centrifugation, is described. This method yields four lymphocyte subpopulations: lymphocytes with mouse and sheep receptors (M+E+), with mouse receptor only (M+E-), with sheep receptor only (M-E+), and without any receptors (M-E-). Presence of surface membrane receptors: E, C3, Fc, and DR on the cells in the subpopulations have indicated that M-E+ and M+E+ cells are T cells, M+E- cells are B cells and M-E- cells are nonhomogeneous, consisting of B cells, T cells, monocytes, and granulocytes.