Human erythroid progenitor cells express Rhesus antigens.
The expression of Rhesus antigens on hematopoietic progenitor cells was studied using monoclonal antibodies. Because these antibodies are not capable of lysing mature red blood cells in a complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay, fluorescence-activated cell sorting was performed. Using the monoclonal anti-Rh 29 antibody B10, 68% +/- 6% of the mature erythroid progenitor cells (CFU-E) were sorted into the positive fraction, while only 2% +/- 1% of the relatively immature erythroid progenitor cells (BFU-E), and 3% +/- 1% of the granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM) were cultured from this same fraction. Thus up to a 15-fold enrichment of CFU-E could be obtained. In two experiments more than 4% of the cells in the positive fraction consisted of CFU-E; in one experiment even more than 7% did. Using fractionated cell sorting, the Rhesus antigens appeared to have a lower density on CFU-E than HLA-DR determinants. Antibodies against the Rhesus antigens can be applied to enrich erythroid-committed stem cells and to separate mature from immature erythroid progenitor cells.
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002469:Cell Separation; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System