The new official nomenclature subdivides human monocytes into three subsets, classical (CD14++CD16-), intermediate (CD14++CD16+) and nonclassical (CD14+CD16+). Here, we comprehensively define relationships and unique characteristics of the three human monocyte subsets using microarray and flow cytometry analysis

Three human monocyte subsets, the CD14++CD16- classical, the CD14++CD16+ intermediate and CD14+CD16+ nonclassical subsets were purified using fluorescence activated cell sorting from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. RNA was processed from the three monocyte subsets from 4 individual donors in duplicates, giving a total of 24 samples.