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Stabilization of white blood cells and immunologic markers for extended analysis using flow cytometry.

Warrino DE, DeGennaro LJ, Hanson M, Swindells S, Pirruccello SJ, Ryan WL

Streck, 7002 S. 109th Street, Omaha, NE 68128, United States.

We evaluated whole blood samples drawn from 25 healthy donors and 20 HIV-infected donors into K3EDTA and Cyto-Chex BCT blood collection tubes for CD4, CD8, and CD3 cell counts (HIV Panel). Samples collected in Cyto-Chex BCT were stored at room temperature and tested by 4-color flow cytometry at 6 h, 3 days, and 7 days after isolation for CD4, CD8, and CD3 absolute cell counts/microl and compared with samples collected in K3EDTA tubes and tested at 6 h. Regardless of donor type, the samples collected in Cyto-Chex BCT and tested on day 7 yielded results that were statistically indistinguishable (with correlation coefficients of 0.96 or greater) from samples collected in K3EDTA tubes and tested at 6 h. We conclude that whole blood samples collected in Cyto-Chex BCT are stabilized for their marker phenotype for at least 7 days after phlebotomy.

Published 10 November 2005 in J Immunol Methods, 305(2): 107-19.
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