Judging the quality of serum separation gel is a crucial step in clinical testing and biological research, as it directly affects the efficiency of blood sample processing and the accuracy of results. Serum separation gel, as a special additive, is widely used in vacuum blood collection tubes. Its main function is to form an isolation membrane during centrifugation to separate serum from blood clots, thereby protecting serum components from contamination by cellular components and maintaining sample stability. The following is a detailed explanation of how to determine the quality of serum separation gel from multiple dimensions.
1.Thixotropic properties and viscosity
The thixotropy of serum separation gel is one of its core characteristics, which determines the flow behavior of the gel under different external forces. The ideal separation gel should reduce its viscosity due to force during centrifugation, making it easier to pass through the blood cell layer and form a stable isolation layer. Once centrifugation stops, the viscosity quickly recovers, maintaining the isolation effect. Separation gel with poor thixotropy may result in poor flipping or formation of a uniform isolation layer, affecting the purity of serum.
Meanwhile, viscosity is another key indicator that not only affects the smoothness of the gluing process, but also determines the flowability of the colloid during centrifugation. Excessive or insufficient viscosity can cause inconvenience to operation or affect separation efficiency. Although most manufacturers do not explicitly indicate viscosity, good separation adhesives should have suitable and stable viscosity values to ensure the convenience and effectiveness of adding adhesive.
2.Specific gravity and separation effect
The specific gravity of serum separation gel is usually designed between 1.045 and 1.065g/cm ³, which ensures that the separation gel can be located between blood cells and serum after centrifugation, forming a good physical barrier. Separation gel with a specific gravity that does not meet the requirements may not be able to accurately separate layers, leading to the infiltration of blood cell components into the serum and affecting subsequent test results. In addition, for specific applications such as PRP (platelet rich plasma) collection, the specific gravity of the separation gel needs to be accurately matched to achieve finer separation.
3、 Shelf life and stability
A good serum separation gel should have good long-term stability, and even under specified storage conditions (such as avoiding light, room temperature, or refrigeration), there should be no aging or solidification phenomenon. The shelf life of products from different manufacturers varies, generally ranging from one to three years. However, regardless of the duration, the key is that during this period, the thixotropy, viscosity, and specific gravity of the separation adhesive should remain unchanged. Long term stability testing is an important basis for assessing its quality, ensuring that even after prolonged use, the original characteristics of the blood sample are not compromised.
4、 Sample processing capability
The key to testing the efficacy of serum separation gel is whether it can quickly form a stable isolation layer upon contact with blood, and whether it can maintain the original characteristics of the sample over a long period of time. In clinical practice, if the quality of the separation gel in the blood collection tube is poor and the specific gravity does not meet the standard, it may lead to the mixing of serum and blood cell components, and even the appearance of fibrin fibers in the serum, which usually means poor blood coagulation or improper centrifugation conditions. Therefore, a good separation gel should be able to quickly and coagulate blood, avoid contamination of serum by fibrin and other cellular components, and ensure the reliability of analysis results.
5、 Anti interference and compatibility
High quality serum separation gel should also have good anti-interference ability, which means it can maintain stable separation effect under various sample conditions, without being affected by sample type, blood composition changes, or external factors such as temperature fluctuations. In addition, compatibility is also important as it should be compatible with various conventional centrifugal equipment, automated analytical instruments, and subsequent biochemical detection methods without affecting the test results.
In summary, when selecting serum separation gels, laboratories and medical institutions should comprehensively evaluate the above factors to ensure that the selected products can meet experimental requirements, improve detection efficiency and accuracy, and provide reliable data support for clinical diagnosis and scientific research. Desheng is a professional manufacturer of serum separation gel, with an independent research and development team and strict quality control by professional personnel. If you have purchasing needs, please feel free to contact us for purchase!
