Battelle Memorial Institute

Vince Contini

Stephen C Wardlaw

Douglas Anthony Thornton

Thomas D Haubert

Randy L Jones

Steve Grimes

Todd A McCandlish

Stephan C Wardlaw

Todd A Mccandlish

Paul George

A tube and float system for use in separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat includes a transparent or semi-transparent, flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The float includes a main body portion of reduced diameter to provide a clearance gap between the inner wall of the sample tube and the float. One or more protrusions on the main body portion serve to support the flexible tube. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force causes the diameter of the flexible tube to expand and permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. The float further includes a pressure relief system to alleviate pressure build up in the trapped red blood cell blood fraction below the float, thereby preventing red blood cells from being forced into the annular gap containing the buffy coat layers.

Buffy coat separator float system and method

Buffy Coat separator float system and method

Growing community of inventors

Powell, OH, United States of America

Vince Contini