Enrichment of reticulocytes by lectin-mediated agglutination

Bloods of both normal and anemic (bleeding anemia) rabbits as well as of a healthy man (blood group A1) have been treated with varying concentrations of the lectin anti-AHP. Under defined conditions, mature erythrocytes are agglutinated selectively whereas reticulocytes remain suspended as single cells in the supernatant fluid. With this procedure an enrichment of reticulocytes of about tenfold with a maximum recovery of nearly 100% was achieved.