Multicolor flow cytometric analysis of immune cell subsets in tumor-bearing mice.

This protocol describes a procedure for obtaining a single-cell suspension from mouse spleen or solid tissue. Once a single-cell suspension is prepared, multicolor flow cytometry is used to identify subsets of immune cells in the samples of interest. This protocol can be used to evaluate the following immune cell populations, defined by the expression of certain cell surface molecules: total leukocytes, T lymphocytes and CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and immature myeloid cells.