cell-free DNA blood collection tube

The working principle of cell-free DNA blood collection tubes includes the following main aspects:
Preventing cell lysis and genomic DNA release
Tubes often contain special preservatives or stabilizers, such as the liquid cell preservative contained in Streck blood collection tubes, that stabilize nucleated blood cells, preventing them from breaking down and thus preventing the release of genomic DNA from the cells into the plasma to contaminate cell-free DNA.
Inhibition of Nuclease Activity
The presence of nuclease in the bloodstream degrades cell-free DNA. The additive in the collection tube inhibits nuclease activity, thereby protecting cell-free DNA from nuclease-mediated degradation, ensuring the integrity and stability of cell-free DNA and facilitating subsequent accurate testing.
Maintaining Sample Stability
Cell-free DNA blood collection tubes are specially designed to provide a relatively stable environment for the preservation of cell-free DNA. For example, Roche® cell-free DNA blood collection tubes store samples at room temperature without the need for refrigeration, freezing, or centrifugation, which reduces the impact of temperature changes, physical manipulation, and other factors on the stability of samples, making it easier to collect, transport, and store samples.
Optimize sample collection and processing
These tubes are generally used to collect samples by directly drawing whole blood, which is easy and fast to operate. After collection, the tubes are gently inverted to mix the blood with the additives to ensure stable preservation of cell-free DNA, and the samples can be used for subsequent extractions and assays with minimal processing, which reduces the risk of variability in sample preparation and improves the accuracy of assay results.
Ensuring cell surface antigenicity and morphology
While protecting cell-free DNA, some of the collection tubes are also able to maintain cell surface antigenicity and cell morphology, which is important for applications that require further analysis or research on the cells, and helps to understand the biological properties of the samples in a more comprehensive manner.