Can whole blood be used instead of separated low density cells for examination of the mitogen response?
The response of whole blood and separated low density cells to 3 mitogenic lectins [Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and Concanavalin (Con-A)] was tested in 133 normal individual of all ages, including cord blood. The results obtained with the two methods correlated poorly (r = 0.16 for PHA; 0.47 for PWM and 0.42 for Con-A). Thus, the two methods measure different things and results are not comparable.