The human reticulocyte transcriptome (HG-U133_Plus2.0)

RNA from circulating blood reticulocytes was utilized to provide a robust description of genes transcribed at the final stages of erythroblast maturation. After depletion of leukocytes and platelets, Affymetrix HG-U133Plus 2.0 arrays were hybridized with probe from total RNA isolated from blood sampled from 6 umbilical cords and 6 healthy adult humans. Peripheral blood from 6 normal adults and 6 human umbilical cords were purified to obtain packed red blood cells and their purity was assessed by CELL-DYN4000. The contaminated WBC count was less than 1 out of 1 million cells. Total RNA from purified reticulocytes included in the purified red blood cells was extracted, labeled, and hybridized onto Affymetrix HG-U133Plus 2.0 arrays.