Quantitation of β2‐Microglobulin and HLA on the Surface of Human Cells

Abstract

Relative amounts of β₂‐microglobulin (β₂m) and of HLA specificities were analysed on the surface of resting unfractionated peripheral human lymphocytes, enriched B and T cells, and on in‐vivo‐ and in‐vitro‐stimulated lymphoblasts. Single‐cell cytofluorometry and a very sensitive radioimmnunoassay were used to determine as closely as possible the absolute amounts of membrane‐bound α₂m/HLA antigens, B and T ‘resting’ and ‘stimulated’ lymphoid cells express very similar numbers of β₂m and HLA antigenic determinants, respectively, per unit of surface area when compared within each group, although β₂m was found to exist in two‐ to three‐fold excess of HLA.