Product Details

Overview

CD4 MicroBeads were developed for the positive selection or depletion of CD4⁺ cells by direct magnetic labeling. The most commonly used cell sources are peripheral blood, leukapheresis¹, and cord blood. In addition, T helper cells have also been isolated from lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, skin biopsies², synovial fluids, and cell cultures..

Columns

For positive selection: MS, LS, XS, or autoMACS^®Columns. For depletion: LD, D, or autoMACS Columns.

Downstream Application

Isolation or depletion of CD4⁺ T helper cells is performed in many different fields of research, such as infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergy, asthma, and tumor immunology. T helper cells isolated by MACS^® Technology remain viable and functional. Therefore, they can be used for further functional studies, such as proliferation assays¹⁰ and cytotoxicity assays³, as well as for the generation of T cell lines⁹. CD4⁺ T cells purified with CD4 MicroBeads have also been cultured and analyzed for in vitro cytokine production.⁴ Furthermore, they have been used in co‑culture experiments, e.g., for allogeneic stimulation by dendritic cells¹ or for B cell activation².

T helper cells isolated by MACS^® Tech­nology were also used for studies on viral infections, e.g., for in vitro infections of cells with HIV⁵, to determine the infectivity of HIV-infected follicular dendritic cells⁶, immune reconstitution after anti-viral therapy⁷, and for monitoring of immune abnormalities in children of HIV-infected mothers⁸.

Supporting data and figures

Isolation of CD4⁺ cells from PBMCs using CD4 MicroBeads, an MS Column, and a MiniMACS™ Separator.

CD4⁺ T helper cells isolated from PBMCs using CD4 MicroBeads. Cells were stained with CD4-FITC in parallel to magnetic labeling.

Background

CD4 is an accessory molecule in the recognition of MHC class II/peptide complexes by the TCR heterodimers on CD4⁺ T helper cells. CD4 is expressed on T helper cells and at a lower level on monocytes and dendritic cells. The CD4 molecule is the receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus. The CD4 antibody recognizes most thymocytes and about 65% of all peripheral blood T cells.