title: Immunological heterogeneity of human monocyte subsets prepared by counterflow centrifugation elutriation.
abstract: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated into three fractions by means of counterflow centrifugation elutriation (CCE). The first fraction, eluted at a flow rate of 24 ml/min, was composed of lymphocytes with less than 2% contaminating esterase-positive cells. The cells in this fraction were incapable of responding to either soluble antigen (tetanus toxoid) or particulate antigen (cytomegalovirus-infected fibroblasts) unless recombined with accessory cells. The second fraction, eluted at a flow rate of 28 ml/min, was composed predominantly (72%) of small Ia, leu M3, and esterase-positive monocytes, which stained weakly with leu 10 antibody. Cells in this fraction efficiently presented soluble and particulate antigens to monocyte-depleted lymphocytes. Of the remaining cells, 87% were large esterase-positive monocytes that labelled strongly with Ia, leu M3, and leu 10. These cells were less efficient in antigen presentation than the small monocytes. However, lymphocytes activated with antigen-pulsed large monocytes exhibited more suppressor cell activity than those activated with antigen-pulsed small monocytes.
mesh_terms: D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D002498:Centrifugation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008938:Mitosis; D009000:Monocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid