An improved technique for obtaining E rosettes with human lymphocytes and its use for B cell purification.

The standard E rosette method and two previously described methods claimed to give improved E rosetting for enumeration of human T lymphocytes have been compared with respect to the speed of rosette formation, and the mechanical stability of the rosettes formed. Following rosette formation with the three methods, the lymphocyte-erythrocyte suspensions were sedimented on Ficoll-Isopaque to deplete them of rosette-forming cells and red cells. The purified lymphocyte preparations were tested for B and T cell markers to determine the degree of contamination with T cells. One of the improved rosetting methods was clearly better than the others, and led to the recovery of B lymphocytes with a contamination of only 2.0+/-1.9 per cent of T lymphocytes.