Enrichment of dendritic cells from human peripheral blood

A simplified method is described for purification of dendritic cells from human peripheral blood. The method is based on depletion of phagocytes with carbonyl iron and magnet, followed by centrifugation of nonphagocytic cells on Percoll and elimination of contaminating T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and monocytes from the low-density cell fraction by treatment with monoclonal antibodies and complement. The purity of enriched dendritic cells was about 80% and these cells represented 0.2% of the starting mononuclear cell population. Dendritic cells were potent autologous and allogeneic stimulators in mixed leukocyte cultures.