MACS® MicroBeads for column-based magnetic cell isolation

Light microscopic analysis of human PBMC cultures labeled with MACS CD3 MicroBeads or with nano-sized beads from another manufacturer. (A) No bead accumulation in cell culture observed with MACS MicroBeads. (B) Clearly visible bead aggregation (brown) with the column-free technology from another manufacturer.
 

Human B cells were enriched using MACS CD19 MicroBeads or a column-free positive selection method from another manufacturer. Subsequently, cells were cultured for 7 days in the presence or absence of the B cell stimulation reagents CD40-Ligand/Anti-His antibody and IL-4. Activation markers (CD69, CD80, and CD86) were measured by flow cytometry directly after cell isolation and after cultivation with and without stimulation. MACS MicroBeads did not alter the status of the target cells, whereas the column-free method led to the activation of B cells in the absence of stimulation reagents.

Monocytes were enriched by depletion of unwanted cells using the MACS Monocyte Isolation Kit II, human or a column-free kit for human monocyte isolation from another manufacturer. Subsequently, monocytes enriched with the column-based (A) or column-free (B) isolation method were stained with CD14/CD16 antibodies (red) and Anti-Dextran antibodies staining nano-sized beads (green) for immunofluorescence microscopy.