Affinity chromatography of beta2-microglobulin from human lymphocytes on concanavalin-A-sepharose. Determination of carbohydrate-containing protein molecules complexed with beta2-microglobulin.

Beta2-microglobulin was extracted from human lymphocytes with nonionic detergent and separated by affinity chromatography on concanavalin-A-Sepharose. The retarded part of beta2-microglobulin is assumed to be associated with HLA antigens. Using a radioimmunoassay for beta2-microglobulin, the average number of presumably free beta2-microglobulin molecules and of presumably HLA-associated beta2-microglobulin molecules per lymphocyte was estimated to be 3.8 x 10(5) and 1.4 x 10(5), respectively.