A COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON THE EFFICACY OF CD8-POSITIVE CELLS IN ENHANCING ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW ENGRAFTMENT - CELL SORTING VS MICROBEAD SELECTION

We have used a superparamagnetic microbead selection system to positiv ely select a murine bone marrow CD8(+) cell population. The functional ability of these cells to enhance allogeneic bone marrow engraftment was compared with that of fluorescence activated cell sorter purified CD8(+) cells. The CD8(+) cell population prepared by the microbead sel ection procedure was as effective as cell sorter purified CD8(+) cells in enhancing T cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow engraftment in le thally irradiated mice. Phenotypic characterization of these cells sho ws that most of these CD8(+) cells express CD3 and the T cell antigen receptor complex.