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Updated: May 23, 2026

Characterization of Human Monocyte Subsets by Whole Blood Flow Cytometry Analysis
Published on: October 17, 2018
The three human monocyte subsets: implications for health and disease
Kok Loon Wong1, Wei Hseun Yeap, June Jing Yi Tai
1Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, #04/04 Immunos, Biopolis, Singapore.
Abstract:
Human blood monocytes are heterogeneous and conventionally subdivided into two subsets based on CD16 expression. Recently, the official nomenclature subdivides monocytes into three subsets, the additional subset arising from the segregation of the CD16+ monocytes into two based on relative expression of CD14. Recent whole genome analysis reveal that specialized functions and phenotypes can be attributed to these newly defined monocyte subsets. In this review, we discuss these recent results, and also the description and utility of this new segregation in several disease conditions. We also discuss alternative markers for segregating the monocyte subsets, for example using Tie-2 and slan, which do not necessarily follow the official method of segregating monocyte subsets based on relative CD14 and CD16 expressions.
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