A rapid and efficient method for purification of rat B cells for complement-dependent cytotoxicity testing

The development of an effective technique for the enrichment of rat B cells is described. This protocol is an adaptation of the 'panning' technique employing anti-Ig-coated plastic dishes. Rat B cells are bound directly to anti-rat Ig-coated wells in Terasaki test plates where they are typed by complement-dependent cytotoxicity. This technique enriches class II (Ia-like) antigen-positive B cells, facilitating detection with antisera specific for rat class II alloantigens. The utility of this technique in the cell surface phenotyping of minor lymphocyte subpopulations is discussed.