Cell-Free DNA Blood Collection Tube

The Cell-Free DNA Blood Collection Tube is a special blood collection tube used to collect blood samples.
Its main feature is the ability to isolate free extracellular DNA (cell-free DNA). This free DNA can come from a variety of tissues and cells in the body and can be analysed for a variety of medical tests and research, such as non-invasive prenatal diagnostics, tumour detection, screening for genetic diseases, etc.
These blood collection tubes are usually treated with specific anticoagulants and processing methods to ensure the stability and effective extraction of free DNA. During use, the integrity of the DNA is better maintained, providing high-quality samples for subsequent analyses.

Cells – Free DNA How blood collection tubes work includes the following main aspects:
Anticoagulation: Anticoagulants contained in blood collection tubes prevent the blood from clotting and keep it in a liquid state.
Separation of free DNA: Physical or chemical methods are used to separate free extracellular DNA from blood cells.
Stabilisation of DNA: Maintaining the stability of free DNA and preventing its degradation for subsequent detection and analysis.

The working principle of the cell-free DNA blood collection tube mainly includes the following aspects:

1. Anticoagulant effect: The anticoagulant in the blood collection tube prevents blood coagulation and maintains the liquid state of the blood.
2. Separation of free DNA: Through physical or chemical methods, the cell-free DNA is separated from the blood cells.
3. Stabilization of DNA: Maintaining the stability of the free DNA to prevent its degradation for subsequent detection and analysis.

The application fields of the cell-free DNA blood collection tube mainly include the following aspects:

Prenatal diagnosis

• Fetal chromosome abnormality detection: By collecting the peripheral blood of pregnant women, using the cell-free DNA blood collection tube to collect the free fetal DNA in it, the chromosomal number and structural abnormalities of the fetus can be detected, such as common chromosomal diseases such as trisomy 21 syndrome, trisomy 18 syndrome, and trisomy 13 syndrome, providing an important basis for prenatal diagnosis, and it belongs to a non-invasive test with low risk to pregnant women and fetuses.
• Fetal sex determination: In some cases with medical needs, the sex of the fetus can be determined by detecting the sex chromosome-related sequences in the free fetal DNA, such as the diagnosis of sex-related genetic diseases.

Tumor detection

• Early tumor screening: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) will be released in the blood of tumor patients, and the cell-free DNA blood collection tube can effectively collect and preserve these ctDNA. Through the detection and analysis of ctDNA, abnormal changes such as gene mutations and methylation of early tumor cells can be discovered, helping to detect lesions in time when the tumor is still small and asymptomatic, and improving the cure rate of the tumor.
• Tumor diagnosis and classification: Different types of tumors have different gene mutation characteristics. Analyzing the gene variation situation in the ctDNA collected in the blood collection tube can assist doctors in accurately diagnosing and classifying tumors, providing a basis for formulating individualized treatment plans, such as EGFR gene mutation detection in non-small cell lung cancer.
• Tumor treatment monitoring: During the tumor treatment process, the patient’s blood is collected regularly, and the cell-free DNA blood collection tube is used to collect ctDNA, monitoring the change in its content and gene variation. It can real-time understand the treatment effect and disease progression of the tumor. If the ctDNA content decreases, it indicates that the treatment is effective; otherwise, it may indicate tumor recurrence or drug resistance, etc., so as to adjust the treatment strategy in time.

Organ transplant monitoring

• Rejection reaction monitoring: After organ transplantation, the immune system of the recipient may have a rejection reaction to the transplanted organ. By collecting the recipient’s blood and using the cell-free DNA blood collection tube to collect the free DNA in it, analyzing the DNA content from the donor and related markers, the occurrence of rejection reaction can be detected early and corresponding treatment measures can be taken in time to improve the survival rate of the transplanted organ.
• Infection monitoring: Patients after organ transplantation need to take immunosuppressants for a long time and are prone to infections. The blood samples collected by the cell-free DNA blood collection tube can be used to detect the free DNA related to pathogen infections, such as DNA of viruses and bacteria, helping to diagnose and treat infections in time to avoid serious damage to the transplanted organ and the recipient’s body.

Genetic disease diagnosis and research

• Diagnosis of single-gene genetic diseases: Many single-gene genetic diseases are caused by gene mutations, and the free DNA in the patient’s blood may carry the mutation information of related pathogenic genes. The samples collected by the cell-free DNA blood collection tube can be used to detect these gene mutations, assisting in the diagnosis of genetic diseases, such as thalassemia and hemophilia.
• Research on complex genetic diseases: For some complex polygenic genetic diseases, by analyzing the free DNA of a large number of patients and normal control populations, it is helpful to find the gene mutation sites related to the disease, study the pathogenesis of the disease, and provide a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the disease.

Diagnosis and research of other diseases

• Autoimmune diseases: In some autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, the level and characteristics of the free DNA in the blood may change. The samples collected by the cell-free DNA blood collection tube can be used to detect these changes, assisting in the diagnosis, disease assessment, and treatment monitoring of the disease.
• Cardiovascular diseases: Studies have found that there is free DNA related to myocardial injury and vascular inflammation in the blood of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Through the detection and analysis of this free DNA, it is helpful to understand the occurrence and development process of the disease, assess the severity of the disease, and predict the risk of cardiovascular events.
• Infectious diseases: When the human body is infected with a pathogen, the DNA of the pathogen may be released into the blood to form free DNA. Using the cell-free DNA blood collection tube to collect blood samples, the pathogen DNA can be detected to achieve early diagnosis and disease monitoring of infectious diseases, such as the detection of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and AIDS virus.