Selection of murine lymphoid and hematopoietic cells using polystyrene tissue culture devices containing covalently immobilized antibody.

We have established rapid procedures that negatively deplete and positively select for specific murine cell populations. By using polystyrene tissue culture flasks containing a covalently bound mouse anti-rat antibody and specific anti-mouse, cell-surface antigen antibodies, we easily and efficiently depleted greater than 90% of the mature lineage cells from murine bone marrow. This selection procedure resulted in an enrichment of progenitor colonies (CFU-Cs) in murine bone marrow. Using the same polystyrene tissue culture devices, we can directly isolate CD117+ (c-kit+) murine hematopoietic cells. As few as 2000 of these CD117+ cells rescued and reconstituted lethally irradiated recipients in a murine bone marrow transplant model.