Centrifuge separation method and apparatus using a medium density fluid

摘要

The centrifugation vessel includes an outer wall containing an interior space. A dam defines a barrier which divides the interior space into at least two regions including a catch basin defining a higher gee region and a reservoir defining a lower gee region. These regions are joined together over the dam. The dam includes a face which is preferably tapered to enable optimization of speed of separation of a sample placed within the vessel. The vessel is usable in a biological sample processing method by having the higher gee region of the vessel configured to have an elongate form and the volume optimized for collection of a higher density fraction of the sample. Supply and withdrawal tubes extend into the regions for reliable extraction and separate collection of differing density fractions after separation by centrifugation. A medium density fluid is used within the vessel to further isolate constituents of differing densities.

主权项

1. A method for separating a higher density constituent in an initial fluid sample from other portions of the sample having a lower density, the method including the steps of:
identifying an enclosure; placing a sample comprising biological cells into the enclosure; the sample of said placing step including a higher density constituent and at least one other portion of the sample having a lower density than said higher density constituent; locating at least one medium density fluid in the enclosure; the medium density fluid of said locating step having a density between the density of the higher density constituent and the density of the at least one other portion; centrifuging the enclosure after said placing step and said locating step, until the higher density constituent is spaced from the at least one other portion of the sample by the medium density fluid; and wherein said identifying an enclosure step includes the enclosure having an outer wall surrounding a fluid containing interior space of the enclosure, a barrier inside the outer wall, the barrier partially dividing the interior space into at least two regions, the barrier having a lip with the two regions connected above the lip and the two regions spaced apart by the barrier below the lip wherein the medium density fluid achieves hypoxic pre-conditioning of the cells as they pass through the medium density fluid during said centrifuging step.