METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING A CELL POPULATION OF INTEREST CONTAINED IN A HUMAN BLOOD SAMPLE

摘要

The present invention provides to a method for quantifying a cell population of interest contained in a human blood sample, comprising the steps of: contacting a sample of human blood with a cocktail comprising a first component, comprising at least one non-human antibody, antibody fragment or derivative thereof, capable of specifically binding to an antigen expressed on the surface of a first cell population distinct from a second cell population, said second cell population being the cell population of interest and being devoid of said antigen, complexed to a second component, comprising at least one non-human antibody, antibody fragment or derivative thereof, capable of specifically binding to the surface of human erythrocytes; separating antibody-labelled from unlabelled cells contained in the blood sample; collecting the supernatant comprising the second cell population; concentrating the second cell population contained in the supernatant and resuspending said cell population in a liquid capable of selectively lysing erythrocytes; concentrating the obtained cells, essentially removing all supernatant and resuspending said cells in a defined volume of physiological buffer; and determining the number of the cells of the second cell population contained in the sample. Furthermore, the invention provides to a kit for performing the method of the invention.