How Do Immune Cell Frequencies Compare Between TokuKit-fixed Blood and PBMC Samples?

In this head-to-head, we explored how immune cell populations and functional marker frequencies compared between the two preservation methods

Population Frequencies Comparable Between TokuKit Whole Blood and PBMCs

+/-3.5%

95% of cell populations fell within this difference

‍

<.11%

Average difference across all cell populations
‍

100%

Of major immune cell populations (T, B, NK, Monocytes, DCs) within +/- 5% difference

Functional Subset Frequencies Consistent Across TokuKit Whole Blood and PBMCs

With slight bias in PBMCs, relative to to TokuKit-fixed whole blood

+/-15%

95% of functional subsets fell within this difference
‍

<2.5%

Average difference across all functional markers
‍

4.7%

Of functional markers showed differences beyond expected variation

Experimental Design

Evaluation of blood samples processed with TokuKit-fixed whole blood vs. cryopreserved PBMCs.

Sample Collection:

Whole blood was collected from 3 healthy donors and aliquoted into two separate tubes.

Conditions

Sample Types:
- TokuKit-fixed Whole Blood
- PBMCs

Timeline

- Whole blood fixed with TokuKit: Samples were fixed with TokuKit and frozen at -80°C within 2 hours of blood draw.
- PBMCs: Samples were prepped within 2 hours of blood draw through the Ficoll protocol. Following prep, they were stored in liquid nitrogen, thawed, stained for viability assessment, and fixed with PFA.

All samples were processed on the same run on the same day.

Panel Design

A 43-marker mass cytometry panel was applied to assess the immune cell populations visualized in the gating strategy below.

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-fixed Whole Blood vs. PBMC study—and what studies with TokuKit are coming next.

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