Patent ID: 6197598
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for separating the liquid portion of blood from the cellular components of blood comprising the steps of:(a) adding a cross-linking substance for the cellular components of blood to a sample of whole blood, the cross-linking substance being selected from the group consisting of a lectin, an anti-blood cell antibody, and a carbohydrate capable of agglutinating blood cells;(b) mixing the cross-linking substance and the blood sample to form a mixture of the cross-linking substance and the blood sample;(c) applying the mixture of the cross-linking substance and the blood sample to a device for separating the liquid portion of blood from the cellular components of blood, the device comprising:(i) a pad of porous material permeable to the liquid portion of blood but capable of trapping the cellular components of blood aggregated by the reaction between the cross-linking substance and the blood sample;(ii) a substrate supporting the pad; and(iii) means, attached to the pad, for facilitating the flow of the liquid portion of the blood: (1) through interstices around the trapped cellular components of the blood and (2) from the pad of porous material, whereby the separation of the liquid portion of blood from the cellular components of the blood occurs by flow through the pad without significant hemolysis; and(d) allowing the liquid portion of the blood to flow through the pad to separate the liquid portion of the blood from the cellular components of the blood.