Differential Expression Of H-Y-Antigen On Lymphocyte Subsets - Analysis By Flow-Cytometry

Abstract Expression of H-Y antigen in human white blood cells was measured using flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies. In this system, lymphocytes were stained preferentially in the male, and to a lesser extent in the female. Analysis of the lymphocyte subsets with biotinylated H-Y antibody conjugated with streptavidin-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and subset-specific antibody conjugated with phycoerythrin derivative (RD1) revealed differential expression of H-Y among the subsets of the male. In samples from eight men, 41.1% ± 21.7% of B cells (B1) were stained, compared with 20.7% ± 12.8% of cytotoxic-suppressor T cells (T8) and 5.4% ± 3.0% of helper-inducer T cells (T4). In samples from seven women, 12.4% ± 10.9% of B cells were stained, but staining of T cells was negligible.