SEPARATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF EQUINE LEUKOCYTE POPULATIONS AND SUB-POPULATIONS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (6) , 1037-1039
Abstract
Various methods of separation and identification of major equine leukocyte populations and subpopulations were used. The purity of T- and B-lymphocytes separated in Sephadex anti-equine F(ab'')2 columns was 87-99% and 83-97%, respectively. The purity of T-lymphocytes separated in nylon-wool columns was 89-98%. Preparations of B-lymphocytes separated in glass-bead columns were 68-79% pure. The presence (or absence) of surface immunoglobulin by immunofluorescence was the most consistent and reliable method for the identification of B- or T-lymphocytes, respectively. The erythrocyte-antibody-complement-rosette method for the identification of B cells and the erythrocyte-rosette method for the identification of T cells were not suitable. Monocytes were separated by the adherence method, and the purity, as identified by the latex particle ingestion procedure, was 70-78%. EM of monocytes stained by peroxidase activity did not identify these cells. The purity of neutrophils obtained by the Ficoll-Hypaque separation method was 95-97%. The merits and usefulness of these methods were discussed.