How Cells are isolated by Density Gradient Centrifugation?
The density gradient centrifugation is a commonly used method for cell separation. The blog discusses the principles, types, applications, and advantages of this method, with a particular emphasis on antibody cell separation.
Various techniques have been devised to extract specific cell populations from a complex mixture. Among these techniques, density gradient centrifugation stands out as a widely used method for cell separation. This technique sorts cells based on their density differences by subjecting a cell suspension to centrifugation. As a result, cells migrate towards the bottom of the tube according to their density.
The centrifugal force pulls the denser cells toward the bottom of the tube, while the less dense cells remain at the top. The process involves creating a gradient of a high-density solution, which is layered on top of the sample. As the sample is centrifuged, the cells move through the gradient, and separation is achieved based on their density.
Types of Density Gradient Centrifugation
There are two main types of density gradient centrifugation, differential and isopycnic.
Differential Centrifugation: This method is based on the differences in size and density of the cells. The sample is spun at different speeds, and the cells of different densities are collected at different points.
· Isopycnic Centrifugation: This method separates cells based on their density alone. A gradient of a high-density solution is created in the tube, and the sample is spun until the cells reach their isopycnic point.
Application of Density Gradient Centrifugation
Antibody Cell Separation: One of the most significant applications of density gradient centrifugation is antibody cell separation. In this method, antibodies are used to label specific cell populations in the sample. These labeled cells are then separated from the rest of the sample using density gradient centrifugation.
Example: Isolation of lymphocytes from blood using density gradient centrifugation and anti-CD3 antibodies.
Other Applications: Density gradient centrifugation is also used for the separation of subcellular components, such as organelles and proteins, and for the isolation of viruses and bacteria.
Advantages of Density Gradient Centrifugation
· High Purity: Density gradient centrifugation is a highly effective method of cell separation and can achieve high purity of the separated cells.
Gentle: Compared to other cell separation techniques, such as flow cytometry or magnetic cell separation, density gradient centrifugation is gentle and does not affect the viability or functionality of the cells.
· Scalable: Density gradient centrifugation can be easily scaled up or down, depending on the amount of starting material, making it ideal for both small and large sample sizes.
Separation Tubes
Our separation tubes were created to facilitate the efficient separation of leukocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from whole blood and bone marrow. PluriMate and TwinSpin eliminate the need for timeconsuming and labor-intensive sample material overlaying.
What is PluriMate?
The purpose of PluriMate is to extract leukocytes and platelets from whole blood and bone marrow through density gradient centrifugation. PluriMate is a centrifuge tube with a unique feature - a porous sponge located at the bottom of the tube.
What is TwinSpin?
To obtain the best separation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from whole blood and bone marrow, TwinSpin centrifugation tubes pre-filled with Density Gradient Medium (DGM) can be utilized. The TwinSpin tube consists of an inner tube and a regular 15 ml bottle, with the inner tube having an open bottom and being immersed in the DGM.
Conclusion
If you are interested in using density gradient centrifugation in your research, consider exploring the products and services offered by uberstrainer, a leading company in providing tools for cell separation by density gradient centrifugation.