The rapid purification of peritoneal exudate macrophages by ficoll (polysucrose) density gradient centrifugation.

Macrophages can be obtained about 99 per cent pure and in a yield of about 50 per cent by ficoll (polysucrose) density gradient centrifugation of mouse peritoneal exudate cells. The macrophages appear in the lighter fractions. The lymphocytes appear in the denser fractions and can be further purified on a polystyrene bead, rayon wool column. The method also separates guinea-pig and rat peritoneal exudate cells. Peritoneal exudate macrophages take up colloidal radioactive gold in vivo. However, macrophages differ in the ability to take up colloidal gold and the macrophages which phagocytose the most gold appear in the lightest fraction after density gradient centrifugation.