When is it too late to use a blood sample for centrifugal separation experiments (i.e. density gradient, OncoQuick)?
Normally, we suggest you use the sample within 2 hours of the draw. If you store the blood at 2 8ยบ C, it will still yield favorable results if used within 24-48 hours. However, the anticoagulant will cause the cells to swell during extended storage times resulting in increased erythrocyte and leucocyte contamination in the tumor cell fraction.
