Fig. 1
Schematic outline of the study. PBMC from 6 healthy donors were isolated using Ficoll-Paque gradient fractionation or BD Vacutainer CPT protocol, and cell yield and purity were compared. Subsequently, immune cell subsets were separated by positive selection from PBMC obtained by both methods, and yields and viabilities of the subsets were determined and compared. RNA and DNA were extracted from total PBMC isolated by both protocols and from their subsets, and the nucleic acid yield and quality compared. Finally, gene expression analysis of individual immune cell subsets and total PBMC obtained by Ficoll and CPT isolation methods were performed and the results compared. LN2, liquid nitrogen