title: Human erythroid progenitor cells express Rhesus antigens.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System