Is a flow cytometric purity evaluation of CD34+ or CD133+ cells, isolated with MACS® Technology, possible without removing the MicroBeads?
Yes, it is. Due to their extremely small size MACS® MicroBeads neither interfere with flow cytometric analysis nor with microscopic analysis. They are compatible with flow sorting. The antibody used for detection should recognize a CD34 or CD133 epitope that is different from the epitope recognized by the antibody conjugated to the MicroBeads. The antibody clone QBEND/10 used for the CD34 MicroBead Kit, human, and CD34 MultiSort Kit, human, binds to epitope II of the CD34 antigen. For the staining of CD34+ cells isolated with MACS® technology, one should use an antibody against CD34 epitope III, e.g., MACS® control antibodies CD34-FITC, human, CD34-PE, human, or CD34-APC, human (clone AC136). CD133+ cells separated with the CD133 MicroBead Kit, human, are best stained with CD133/2 (293C3)-PE, human, or with CD133/2 (293C3)-APC, human.
