Why ficoll is use for Blood separation?
Ficoll is commonly used in density gradient centrifugation for the separation of blood components due to its unique properties and advantages:
Density Gradient: Ficoll is a high molecular weight polymer (polysaccharide) that can be dissolved in aqueous solutions to create a density gradient. This density gradient is formed when a solution of Ficoll is layered on top of a denser solution, such as phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The density gradient allows for the separation of particles based on their density.
Separation of Blood Components: When whole blood is layered onto the Ficoll-Paque density gradient, the different components of blood will separate into distinct layers based on their densities. This allows for the easy separation of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation: RBCs, being the densest components of blood, will sediment through the Ficoll-Paque gradient and form a pellet at the bottom of the tube. This layer can be easily removed, leaving the WBCs and platelets suspended in the upper layers.
Mononuclear Cell Isolation: Ficoll-Paque is particularly useful for isolating mononuclear cells, which include lymphocytes (T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells) and monocytes. These cells are important for immune function and are commonly used in immunological studies and research.
Low Toxicity: Ficoll is relatively non-toxic to blood cells, allowing for the separation of viable cells for further analysis or downstream applications.
Established Technique: Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation is a well-established and widely used technique in blood separation. It is considered a reliable and efficient method for obtaining specific blood components for various experimental and clinical purposes.
In summary, Ficoll is used for blood separation due to its ability to create a density gradient, which facilitates the separation of blood components based on their densities. It is commonly used to isolate mononuclear cells and is considered a standard method in blood separation techniques.