Lymphocyte activation by cell separation procedures

Cell separation techniques normally used to obtain subpopulations of lymphocytes were shown, under certain conditions, to render the cells cytotoxic towards a number of target-cells including autologous lymphocytes. To cause cytotoxicity, it was necessary to pass cells through glass wool and/or nylon wool columns equilibrated with media containing fresh plasma or serum. Cells lost activation upon overnight in vitro culture or treatment with trypsin. In addition to direct cell cytotoxicity, cells released heat labile cytotoxic factors and antibody during the separation procedures. The implications of the results for the interpretation of cell separation studies designed to attribute immunological effects to one or another cell type were discussed.