Sodium Heparin

• Collect 3 mL (minimum 1 mL) in a sodium heparinized (Na hep) syringe; transfer to an anticoagulant free sterile tube
• Specimens collected in EDTA are acceptable, but not preferred
• Transfer to an anticoagulant free sterile tube
• If unable to collect a bone marrow aspirate, a bone marrow core placed in RPMI with Hepes, Pen Strep and FBS is acceptable

Do not spin

Bone marrow transport vial/tube

Bone Marrow Core or Tissue

• Immediately following collection, place the specimen in RPMI with Hepes/Pen strep/FBS -15 mL

 Peripheral Blood

• Collect 4 mL (minimum 1 mL) in EDTA
• Immediately following collection, mix sample thoroughly by gentle inverting 8 - 10 times, to prevent clotting

 Body fluid

• Collect 20 mL (minimum 5 mL) of body fluid and place in a Falcon vial/tube - 15mL
• Do not add anticoagulant or holding media
• The volume required is dependent upon the white blood cell (WBC) count. Smaller volumes are sufficient if the cell count is high

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

• Collect 5 mL (minimum 1 mL) in a sterile vial/container.
• Do NOT add any anticoagulant or holding media
• The volume required is dependent upon the white blood cell (WBC) count. Smaller volumes are sufficient if the cell count is high

Bone Marrow Core or Tissue

RPMI with Hepes/Pen strep/FBS -15 mL

Peripheral Blood

Lavender (EDTA), 4mL

Body fluid

Falcon vial/tube - 15mL

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Sterile vial/container

EDTA whole blood

Ambient - 72 hours

Body fluid

Refrigerated - 72 hours

Bone marrow

Ambient - 72 hours

Spinal fluid

Refrigerated - 72 hours

Tissue

Refrigerated - 72 hours

• Improper label (unlabeled or mislabeled)
• Wrong container (anticoagulant or solution)
  • Bone marrow cores submitted in saline or B+ fixative are not acceptable and will be rejected
• Delay in transport
• Improper storage
• Interfering substances

Flow cytometry

Tubes and Markers:

Tubes: M1, M2, M4

Markers: CD10, CD11b, CD13, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD33, CD34, CD38, CD45, CD45RA, CD56,  

CD64, CD65, CD117, CD123, CD300e, CD371, and HLA-DR