A rapid method for the separation of large and small thymocytes from rats and mice

Thymocytes from rats and mice have been separated into large and small cell populations in high yield and purity by isopycnic centrifugation in a discontinuous (three-layered) gradient of Percoll. Cells are mixed with the middle layer and during low-speed centrifugation the small, denser cells sediment to the bottom interface whilst the large, less dense cells float to the top interface. Red blood cells, and small debris particles separate into the bottom and top layers respectively. Studies on the uptake of [3H]TdR show that the small cells are non-dividing while more than half of the large cells are capable of division.