title: Flow cytometry counting of bronchoalveolar lavage leukocytes with a new profile of monoclonal antibodies combination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differential cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has an important role in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases. Optical microscopy method is usually chosen to identify BAL leukocyte populations despite its technical limitations. As there are no guidelines to make this analysis by flow cytometry (FCM), we propose a new monoclonal antibodies combination for this analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four BAL samples were stained with the monoclonal antibodies combination CD15/CD16/CD45/HLA-DR and analyzed in a 2-laser cytometer (FACSCalibur). The results were compared with those obtained by optical microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both methods showed a good correlation, but FCM overestimates lymphocyte population and conversely underestimates alveolar macrophage population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed monoclonal antibodies combination is effective and reliable to identify leukocyte populations in BAL.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain. lourdes.tricas@sespa.princast.es
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tricas
authors.forename: Ainara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Echeverría
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000379:methods*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D017452:Receptors, IgG