METHOD FOR PRESERVING CELLS, AND USES OF SAID METHOD

摘要

The invention provides a method for preserving cells which comprises (a) suspending cells in a physiologic isotonic medium; and (b) fixing the cells so suspended at a temperature of less than about 10 degrees C under sufficiently hypertonic conditions to disperse the cells in a single, unagglutinated state. Also provided are methods for separating such preserved cells from a sample in order to detect, quantitate and/or visualize the preserved cells, their metabolic processes and their surface receptors. Such preserved cells can be assayed for phenotype as well as the presence of malignancy. Fetal cells preserved by the described method can be assayed to determine gender or presence of fetal abnormalities.