Does blood volume (0.5 - 3 mL) affect immune cell preservation with TokuKit?

From 0.5 mL to 3 mL blood inputs, TokuKit preserved immune cell populations within ±2% of the standard 2 mL blood volume.

Across both lower (0.5 mL) and higher (3 mL) whole blood volumes, 95% of immune cell population frequencies showed ≤2% deviation from the 2 mL reference, confirming robust preservation with TokuKit.

Download the results here

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.

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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Does blood volume (0.5 - 3 mL) affect immune cell preservation with TokuKit?

Experimental Design

Evaluation of blood collection across different volume sizes.

Sample Collection:

Timeline

Red Blood Cell Lysis

Panel Design

Instrument

Lower blood volumes did not impact cell population frequencies

There was strong concordance across cell populations preserved with 0.5mL and 2mL TokuKit-fixed blood.

Higher blood volumes did not impact cell population frequencies

There was strong concordance across cell populations preserved with 3mL and 2mL TokuKit-fixed blood.

Why does sample preservation matter for your team?

Want to learn more?

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

Teiko