Subfractionation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by partitioning in two-polymer aqueous phase systems. Characteristics of a small subpopulation of cells with high partition coefficient.
Mixtures of aqueous solutions of dextran and poly(ethylene glycol) form immiscible 2-phase systems that are suitable for the separation of viable, functionally-competent cells on the basis of their surface properties. With the appropriate choice of ionic composition, these systems will separate cells on the basis of charge-related surface characteristics. We have previously shown that in charge-sensitive phase systems, human B lymphocytes have a low partition coefficient (K) and T cells have an intermediate K. The cell subpopulation with the highest K values contains large null lymphocytes that have most of the antibody-dependent and natural killer activities. The present study further characterizes this latter cell subpopulation. 8-33% of peripheral blood lymphocytes in normal persons had high K values. About 50% of these cells had typical Giemsa-staining granules characteristic of killer cells and one third had Fc receptors, but lacked complement receptors. Although 15-30% of the cells with high K values formed rosettes with sheep erythrocytes, there was virtually no response to T-cell mitogens such as PHA and Con A. Mixing cells having high K values with mitogen-responsive T cells from intermediate cell fractions revealed no evidence of suppressor-cell activity to explain the poor mitogen response. The studies indicate that a heterogeneous population of cells share charge-related surface properties resulting in a high partition coefficient. These cells comprise a significant proportion of human peripheral blood lymphocytes and include virtually all of the large granular lymphocytes as well as a large population without this morphology that shares the feature of unresponsiveness to T-cell mitogens.
D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D003377:Countercurrent Distribution; D003911:Dextrans; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology; D011095:Polyethylenes; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology
D003911:Dextrans; D011095:Polyethylenes