A newly designed whole microplate automatic harvester for lymphocyte stimulation assays

A unique automated sampling manifold designed to recover cells grown in standard 96 well microplates from their culture medium is described. Cells are recovered and washed on fiber glass filter discs. Incorporation of radioisotopes into cells, can then be measured by appropriate counting of the filter discs. Typical applications include termination of mixed lymphocyte cultures, assays of mitogen stimulation of lymphocytes and antigen-specific lymphocyte transformation and assays of interferon activity. The harvester can also be used in other biological systems where collection and washing of precipitates is desired.