Patent ID: 8277406

Claim:
Method for separating a volume of whole blood contained in a separation bag into at least three components, the method comprising: centrifuging the separation bag so as to separate therein a first inner layer comprising plasma, a second intermediate layer comprising platelets, a third intermediate layer comprising lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes and a fourth outer layer comprising red blood cells, wherein at least the third and fourth layers partially overlap; transferring, into a plasma component bag connected to the separation bag, a plasma component substantially comprising a first fraction of the first layer; transferring, into a platelet component bag connected to the separation bag, a platelet component substantially comprising a fraction of the second layer; and transferring, into a mononuclear cell component bag connected to the separation bag, a mononuclear cell component comprising at least a fraction of the third layer comprising lymphocytes and monocytes; after transferring the mononuclear cell component into the mononuclear cell component bag and before transferring the red blood cell component from the separation bag into a red blood cell component bag, transferring a volume of storage solution from the red blood cell component bag into the separation bag, and after transferring said volume of storage solution into the separation bag, transferring, into a red blood cell component bag connected to the separation bag, a red blood cell component comprising the fourth layer and a fraction of the third layer comprising granulocytes.