[Lymphocyte separation with dextran M 70]

We investigated the possibility using Dextran M 70 instead of the common Ficoll 400, both in combination with Visotrast 370, for separation of lymphocytes from human peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation. No significant differences were found with regard to parameters such as yield and vitality and numbers of B- (surface immunoglobulins) and T-lymphocytes (sheep red blood cells-rosette assay, and the monoclonal antibody BL-T2). From the data available as yet we can conclude--at least for the markers studied--that it is possible to use Dextran M 70 instead of Ficoll 400 for the separation of mononuclear cells of human peripheral blood.