Patent ID: 8642255

Claim:
A method of harvesting whole blood, the method comprising: a) providing a volume of whole blood from a donor; and, b) mixing, in a container, the volume of whole blood, or a portion thereof, with a volume of preservation solution adapted for cellular osmotic balance at hypothermic temperatures, such that the ratio of whole blood to preservation solution is at least about 1:0.1 by volume, c) maintaining the mixture of whole blood and preservation solution at hypothermic temperatures, wherein the volume of whole blood, the volume of preservation solution, and the container are free from an exogenously-introduced anticoagulant reagent, and wherein the preservation solution comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of: an aqueous solution of electrolytes containing potassium ions at a concentration range of from about 35 to about 45 mM, sodium ions at a concentration range of from about 80 to about 120 mM, magnesium ions at a concentration range of from about 2 to about 10 mM, chloride ions at a concentration range of from about 15 to about 20 mM, and calcium ions at a concentration range of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 mM; an impermeant anion; mannitol; a macromolecular oncotic agent; at least one simple sugar; a substrate for the regeneration of ATP; a biological pH buffer effective under physiological hypothermic conditions; and combinations thereof.