A method for the separation of lymphocytes and plasma cells from the human palatine tonsil using sedimentation in an isokinetic gradient of Ficoll in tissue culture medium

Several methods for the dissociation of human tonsils into cell suspensions were compared. Dissociation of tonsils using 0.25% trypsin gave both the largest number of total cells, and the largest number of plasma cells per gram of tonsil. Lymphocytes and plasma cells were separated in a previously described isokinetic gradient of Ficoll in tissue culture medium. In the purest gradient fractions, lymphocytes were 97.2% ± 1.9% of nucleated cells. The purest gradient fractions contained 43.1% ± 5.9% plasma cells. More than 95% of purified lymphocytes and plasma cells excluded Trypan Blue.