Isolation of Human Basophils.

Isolating human basophils from blood has long been hampered by the fact that these granulocytes represent just 1% or less of the circulating leukocyte population. We describe herein laboratory protocols that have been refined over the past ∼25 years that now enable investigators to prepare basophils for use in a variety of assays to assess the in vitro biology of these immune cells, both in IgE -dependent and -independent responses.