Application of the Beckman JE6‐B Elutriator System® in the isolation of human monocyte subpopulations

Abstract

Beckman Instruments recently developed an improved version of their JE-6 Elutriator Rotor. At 3000 rpm (867 .times. g), lymphocytes were eluted from the chamber at flow rates of 10-18 ml/min. Small monocytes (362 .mu.3) were collected at 18 ml/min over 400 ml while the larger monocytes (365 .mu.3) were retained in the chamber until the flow rate was increased to 28 ml/min. These parameters differ from those previously reported when Beckman''s original commercial version of the JE-6 Elutriator Rotor was used. The new JE-6B rotor required an increase of centrifugal force from 625-867 .times. g generated by an increase in rpm from 2500-3000, as well as an increase in flow rates to collect both small (17-18 ml/min) and large (26-28 ml/min) monocytes. The monocytes collected using the new rotor with the revised protocol have the same physical and functional properties as those collected with the earlier version using previously published protocol.