Patent ID: 7205157
Filing Date: 2007-04-17
Classification: B01L,G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of separating at least one target component from a biological sample, said method comprising a. placing said biological sample into a separation container, said separation container comprising a focusing device, a first set of selection microbeads and a second set of selection microbeads, said first set of selection microbeads having at least one target affinity binding agent bound to their surfaces, said at least one target affinity binding agent having a binding affinity for said at least one target component within said biological sample, said second set of selection microbeads having a different density than said first set of selection microbeads and having at least one different affinity binding agent bound to their surfaces, said at least one different affinity binding agent having a binding affinity for a component other than said target component within said biological sample, said focusing device having an axial bore passage, and a specific density equal to the density of said first set of selection microbeads, and being capable of vertical movement within said separation container upon centrifugation; b. centrifuging said separation container containing said biological sample to densitometrically separate components of said sample into layers such that separation of said first set of selection microbeads and said second set of selection microbeads is induced, wherein a target layer comprising said first set of selection microbeads bound to said at least one target component is located within said axial bore passage of said focusing device and wherein said second set of selection microbeads are absent from said axial bore passage of said focusing device after centrifugation; and c. aspirating said elongated target layer to remove said at least one target component from said separation container.