Culture of human white cells using differential leucocyte separation

SEVERAL variations of white blood cell culture methods for the purpose of human chromosome study are now in use. All these are derived from the method of Hungerford et al.¹. We have used the original and some of the modified procedures, particularly that of O. J. Miller (personal communication). In our experience with these techniques, about 75 per cent of cultures produce adequate numbers of mitotic figures for examination, while the remaining 25 per cent grow poorly, if at all. It was our impression that most failures occurred in specimens containing large numbers of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. On incubation, such cultures became excessively acid, and large clumps of degenerating polymorphs appeared.