Specific labeling of cells enables magnetic cell detection. The cell type to be detected is labeled, magnetic labels being bound to epitopes of a first cell-specific epitope type via antibodies of a first antibody type. Additionally, second/further magnetic labels are bound to epitopes of a second cell-specific epitope type on the cells via antibodies of a second antibody type, or the magnetic labels are bound to the antibodies of the first antibody type via antibodies of another antibody type and the antibodies of the first antibody type are bound to the epitopes of the first cell-specific epitope type on the cells.