What centrifugation parameters are typical for serum separation?

What centrifugation parameters are typical for serum separation?

• A. 2,000–4,000 x g for 5 minutes.
• B. 100 x g for 1 minute.
• C. 1,500 x g for 12 minutes.
• D. 50 x g for 30 minutes.

Answer: (C)

When preparing serum, the goal is to separate the liquid portion from the cells after the blood has clotted, using enough force and time to pellet the cells without damaging the serum. A typical, reliable setup is around 1,500 x g for about 10–15 minutes. This moderate centrifugal force is strong enough to pull cells to the bottom but gentle enough to avoid excessive shear or heat that could cause hemolysis or degrade components, yielding clear serum suitable for testing. The specific combination of 1,500 x g for roughly 12 minutes fits well within this standard approach, providing effective separation with minimal risk. Other options either apply too little force or the wrong duration, which can leave cells in the serum or fail to achieve a clean separation, or use higher forces for too short a time and increase the risk of hemolysis or sample disturbance.

When preparing serum, the goal is to separate the liquid portion from the cells after the blood has clotted, using enough force and time to pellet the cells without damaging the serum. A typical, reliable setup is around 1,500 x g for about 10–15 minutes. This moderate centrifugal force is strong enough to pull cells to the bottom but gentle enough to avoid excessive shear or heat that could cause hemolysis or degrade components, yielding clear serum suitable for testing. The specific combination of 1,500 x g for roughly 12 minutes fits well within this standard approach, providing effective separation with minimal risk.

Other options either apply too little force or the wrong duration, which can leave cells in the serum or fail to achieve a clean separation, or use higher forces for too short a time and increase the risk of hemolysis or sample disturbance.