Method for separating cells using immunorosettes and magnetic particles

1. A selection method for separating target cells from non-target cells in a sample comprising target cells, erythrocytes and non-target cells, the method comprising:

a) contacting the sample with a first antibody composition comprising both (a) at least one antibody that binds to the target cells and (b) at least one antibody that binds to the erythrocytes, wherein the (a) at least one antibody that binds to the target cells is linked, either directly or indirectly, to (b) the at least one antibody that binds to the erythrocytes, under conditions to allow immunorosettes of the target cells and the erythrocytes to form;

b) contacting the sample with a second antibody composition comprising both (a) at least one antibody that binds to the erythrocytes either singly or within the immunorosettes and (b) at least one antibody that binds to magnetic particles, wherein the (a) at least one antibody that binds to the erythrocytes either singly or within the immunorosettes, is linked, either directly or indirectly, to (b) the at least one antibody that binds to the magnetic particles; wherein the contacting is performed in the presence of the magnetic particles under conditions to allow binding of the magnetic particles to the immunorosettes and/or the erythrocytes, and

c) separating the immunorosette—magnetic particle complexes and/or the erythrocyte—magnetic particle complexes from the sample using magnetic separation to separate the target cells from the non-target cells.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second antibody composition is bound to the magnetic particles prior to contacting with the sample.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second antibody composition is bound to the magnetic particles and added to the sample prior to contacting the sample with the first antibody composition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the erythrocytes are already existing in or added to the sample.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection method is a positive selection method to select for desired cells and the target cells are the desired cells or a negative selection method to remove non-desired cells from the sample and the target cells are the non-desired cells.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the immunorosette-magnetic particle complexes and/or the erythrocyte-magnetic particle complexes are separated from the sample in step c) by placing the sample in a magnetic field gradient of sufficient strength to separate the immunorosette-magnetic particle complexes and/or the erythrocyte-magnetic particle complexes from the sample.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

d) separating the target cells from the immunorosette—magnetic particle complexes.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target cells are separated from the immunorosette—magnetic particle complexes by physical, chemical, enzymatic or thermal dissociation.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

d) lysis of the erythrocytes in the immunorosettes and

e) separation of the target cells from the lysed erythrocytes and the magnetic particles.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is blood, whole blood, bone marrow, fetal liver, cord blood, a buffy coat suspension, a leukapheresis sample, a pleural or peritoneal effusion or a sample of thymocytes and splenocytes.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target cells are stem cells, progenitor cells, monocytes, lymphocytes, or granulocytes.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lymphocytes are T cells, B cells or NK cells and the granulocytes are neutrophils, basophils or eosinophils.