A Closed System for Large-Scale Lymphocyte Purification

Abstract

A method for lymphocyte purification is described. This is a closed system in which lightly heparinized blood is sedimented with Plasmagel in a plastic blood bag. The plasma layer is transferred to a second bag containing nylon powder and clotting is induced by agitation. Platelets, polymorphonuclear granulocytes, and monocytes are removed and trapped in the clot, together with the nylon powder. Lymphocyte suspension of 96 per cent purity and 61 per cent overall yield are produced. Viability of the lymphocytes is excellent and they are shown to be suitable for tissue culture. Comparison with other methods for lymphocyte isolation show this method to give higher yields and to be simpler in performance. It is particularly adaptable for large volumes of blood.

Selective and non‐selective lymphocytotoxicity in human melanoma: Observation on the effect of long‐term culture and fetal bovine serum on target‐cell sensitivity to lymphocytes

“…Lymphocytes from cancer patients and age/ sex-matched, mostly non-laboratory healthy donors, are purified (Woods, 1970). By this method, lightly heparinized peripheral venous blood is first sedimented of erythrocytes in plasma gel (Laboratoire Roger Bellon, Neuilly, France) ; the platelets, granulocytes and monocytes are then removed in a clot by agitation of the plasma supernatant in a plastic TA-3 Transfer Pack ( Fenwall Laboratory, Morton Grove, I1 1, USA) containing nylon powder (Polypenco, Reading, Penn., USA) and glass beads.…”