Vacuum Tubes: Precision Blood Collection Made Simple

Product Description: SST Barrier Tech: Pure Serum. Trusted ResultsbyOrsin

Red-Top Tube (Serum Separator Tube - SST)

The red-top tube, formally known as the Serum Separator Tube (SST), is one of the most commonly used blood collection tubes in clinical laboratories. It is easily identified by its red or red/black stopper. The tube contains a pre-measured amount of clot activator (e.g., silica particles) and inert separator gel.

How it Works:

• Clot Activator: Rapidly accelerates the blood clotting process, typically achieving complete clot formation within 30-60 minutes after collection.

• Inert Separator Gel: A thixotropic gel with a density intermediate between serum and blood cells. During centrifugation, the gel liquefies and migrates to form a stable, physical barrier between the clotted cellular components (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and fibrin clot) and the supernatant liquid phase (serum).

Primary Uses:

• Ideal for collecting blood samples intended for tests requiring serum, including:

  • Clinical chemistry tests (e.g., liver function, kidney function, glucose, lipids, electrolytes).

  • Immunoassays (e.g., hormones, tumor markers, specific antibodies).

• The separator gel barrier effectively prevents the exchange of substances between the cells and the serum, preserving serum component stability. This minimizes interference in test results caused by cellular metabolism or lysis (hemolysis), which is particularly beneficial during sample transportation or delayed testing.

• Key Advantages & Selling Points:

• Exceptional Serum Quality: The inert separator gel forms a physical, inert barrier, effectively preventing the exchange of substances between blood cells and serum. This minimizes hemolysis, glycolysis, and ion shifts, ensuring highly accurate and reliable test results (especially for enzymes, electrolytes, hormones, tumor markers, etc.).

• Extended Sample Stability: The separator gel barrier significantly enhances post-centrifugation serum stability. Samples can be stored stably at 2-8°C for up to 48-72 hours (depending on the analyte), perfectly accommodating batch testing, sample transportation, and repeat testing needs, reducing sample rejection rates.

• Enhanced Testing Efficiency: Rapid clot activator promotes complete coagulation typically within 30-60 minutes, reducing pre-analytical wait times. A single centrifugation yields clear serum, streamlining workflow and accelerating turnaround times.

• Reduced Interference, Trusted Results: Effectively minimizes interference caused by cellular metabolite release or rupture (hemolysis) (e.g., pseudohyperkalemia, elevated LDH/AST), providing clinicians with purer, less interfered serum samples, enhancing diagnostic accuracy.

• High Compatibility & Consistency: Compatible with the vast majority of automated analyzers and manual methods. High-quality separator gel is resistant to temperature extremes and aging, ensuring exceptional batch-to-batch consistency for reliable and comparable lab results.

• Simple Operation, Assured Safety: Requires only gentle inversion 5-8 times after collection. The gel is highly chemically inert, non-adsorptive, and non-leachable, preserving sample integrity. Rugged tube construction minimizes breakage risk.