Does blood volume collected affect immune cell preservation with TokuKit?

No. From 0.5 mL to 3 mL blood inputs, TokuKit preserves immune cell populations within +/-2% of the standard 2 mL blood volume.

Experimental Design

Evaluation of blood collection across different volume sizes.

Sample Collection:

Whole blood was collected from 3 healthy donors into EDTA tubes and processed with TokuKit at 4 volumes: 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mL.  

Timeline

Samples were processed at T = 0 and analyzed immediately after.

Red Blood Cell Lysis

Since TokuKit contains its own lysis buffer, no additional ACK or BD lysis step was required.

Panel Design

A 25-marker spectral flow cytometry panel was applied to assess the immune cell populations visualized in the gating strategy below.

Instrument

Cytometry analysis was performed on a Cytek® Aurora.

Uncompromised Performance at 0.5 mL
Compared to 2.0 mL standard
  • 95%
    Cell populations +/- 2%
  • <0.1%
    Average difference across all cell populations
  • 0%
    Populations with differences >4%
  • 100%
    Of major immune cell populations (T, B, NK, Monocytes, DCs) within +/- 3%
Cell Populations - Raw Differences
Cell Populations - Log2 fold Change
Full Reproducibility at 3 mL
Compared to 2.0 mL standard
  • 95%
    Cell populations +/- 1%
  • <0.2%
    Average difference across all cell populations
  • 0%
    Populations with differences >4%
  • 100%
    Of major immune cell populations (T, B, NK, Monocytes, DCs) within +/- 2%
Cell Populations - Raw Differences
Cell Populations - Log2 fold Change

Why does sample preservation matter for your team?

Degradation distorts patient immune profiles
When preservation methods degrade or introduce artifacts, immune profiles shift, creating results that reflect preservation instability rather than a patient's true biology.
Failed samples waste time and budget
Degraded samples often fail QC, requiring costly redraws, repeat shipments, and delays in data delivery.
Inconsistencies undermine PD insights
Differences in how long samples sit before processing introduce noise, making it harder to detect real pharmacodynamic signals, mechanism of action, or biomarkers of response.

Want to learn more?

Ask us about the results of our TokuKit blood volume study—and what studies with TokuKit are coming next.
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