Blood separation tube with cell activation portion

Abstract

This invention relates to a blood separation tube for a centrifugal separation apparatus, and more specifically to a blood separation tube having a cell activation section, wherein physical pressure is generated through collision with the centrifuged blood, thereby activating blood cells such as platelets, leukocytes, and lymphocytes in the blood. To this end, the invention is characterized by comprising: a tube body having a chamber for containing blood; and a cell activation section protruding from the inner surface or interior of the chamber to activate blood cells through physical collision with the centrifuged blood.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a blood separation tube for a centrifugal separation apparatus, and more specifically to a blood separation tube having a cell activation section, wherein physical pressure is generated by collision with the centrifuged blood, thereby activating blood cells such as platelets, white blood cells, and lymphocytes in the blood. Background Technology

[0002] Normally, blood transports oxygen inhaled from the lungs to tissue cells, carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs for excretion, nutrients absorbed by the digestive organs to various organs or tissue cells, substances that are not needed by the body as decomposition products of tissues to the kidneys for excretion, hormones secreted by endocrine glands to their target organs and tissues, maintains a stable body temperature by evenly distributing body heat, and performs many other functions such as destroying and neutralizing bacteria and foreign substances that invade the body.

[0003] Blood can be broadly divided into blood cell components and plasma components. Blood cells (hemocytes) make up about 45% of the total blood volume and are divided into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, with red blood cells making up the majority (99%).

[0004] Furthermore, plasma is a pale yellow, transparent blood fluid that makes up about 55% of the total blood volume, with water making up the majority (91%). In addition, it contains plasma proteins such as albumin or clotting factors (7%), electrolytes (Na+, Cl-, HCO3-, K+, etc.), glucose, amino acids, lipids, vitamins, metabolites, hormones, etc.

[0005] This blood will be used as a primary indicator for judging various diseases or health conditions, but the red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, monocytes, lymphocytes, etc. that make up the blood will be separated for various treatments or research.

[0006] Therefore, blood separation is not only the most basic operation used for material analysis in all fields of biology, genetics, or medicine, but also the most basic operation used for cell culture and the identification and amplification of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

[0007] By using a centrifuge to separate the collected blood into plasma and blood cell components, the blood cell components can be further divided into a white blood cell layer (buffy coat) and a red blood cell layer. The plasma component, which accumulates on the top layer, contains liquid components such as water, Na+, Cl-, and fibrinogen.

[0008] Moreover, because red blood cells are denser, they cluster at the bottom. The white blood cell layer (buffy coat) separating red blood cells from plasma components contains white blood cells and platelets.

[0009] The blood is drawn from the separation tube through an injection needle and separated into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma through a centrifugation process, which are then used for treatment or research.

[0010] For example, platelets in blood are mainly found in plasma, which is divided into platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP). Platelet-rich plasma, when transplanted to representative sites of pain such as the knee, ligaments, and muscles, helps stimulate the generation of stem cells and has been used in the past for treatment.

[0011] Platelet-rich plasma contains 2 to 7 times more platelets and 3 to 5 times more white blood cells or monocytes than normal blood. Growth factors generated and secreted from platelets promote cell regeneration at the wound site, which helps in wound treatment and cell or tissue regeneration.

[0012] To enhance the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma, South Korea uses a clinical approach that adds calcium to pre-activate platelets and induce growth factor secretion before injection. Overseas, clinical approaches use cell activators such as collagen, thrombin, or platelet-activating proteins to pre-activate platelets and induce growth factor secretion before injection.

[0013] However, injecting calcium into cartilage is neutralized and therefore pointless. If injected into subcutaneous fat, it can cause side effects such as redness, skin rashes, and pain. Furthermore, thrombin and collagen are substances that directly affect blood clotting. If they are injected into patients in a state that is not completely separated, they may become potential risk factors. Therefore, the method of addition needs to be improved.

[0014] Therefore, there are research reports on methods to activate platelets and other cells by applying physical stress rather than adding chemically active factors, and based on this, Korean Patent No. 10-2012-0129779 (Patent Document 0001) was filed.

[0015] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0129779 discloses a platelet activation device comprising: a passage having an internal diameter of 2 mm or less for applying capillary pressure to a biological fluid containing platelets; and one or more inlets and outlets formed in a receiving portion of the passage and at both ends of the receiving portion for injecting or discharging the biological fluid, thereby obtaining activated platelets by repeatedly passing through the capillary passage.

[0016] However, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0129779 relates to a structure that alternately forms narrow and wide regions in the aforementioned pathway to activate platelets. In this structure, multiple patterns need to be alternately formed inside the fine pathway, making it difficult to manufacture. Moreover, since the aforementioned pathway forms a single channel, the number of blood circulations only increases with the blood volume in order to achieve the required platelet activation, resulting in a problem that platelet activation consumes a lot of time.

[0017] To address this issue, Korean Patent No. 10-1429253 (Patent Document 0002) discloses a platelet activation device with multiple blood pathways. However, it requires syringes to be installed at the main inlet and outlet at both ends of the long platelet activation device, and the pistons of the syringes on both sides need to be moved back and forth with great force to make the blood flow through the platelet activation device. This increases the working pressure on the operator. Furthermore, it requires collecting centrifuged blood, installing it in a separate device, and applying physical pressure.

[0018] Therefore, there is a need to develop blood separation tubes that, due to their simple structure and the elimination of the double centrifugation process and the subsequent application of physical pressure, eliminate the operational stress on medical personnel and prevent potential cell contamination during transport. Summary of the Invention

[0019] Technical issues

[0020] The present invention relates to a blood separation tube for a centrifugal separation apparatus, and more specifically to a blood separation tube having a cell activation section, wherein physical pressure is generated by collision with the centrifuged blood, thereby activating blood cells such as platelets, white blood cells, and lymphocytes in the blood.

[0021] Technical solution

[0022] To achieve the objectives described above, the blood separation tube of the present invention having a cell activation section includes: a tube body having a chamber for containing blood; and a cell activation section protruding from the inner side or interior of the chamber to activate blood cells through physical collision with centrifuged blood.

[0023] In this case, the cell activation section includes one of a plurality of micro-convex and concave walls protruding along the length direction on the inner side of the chamber with a specified height and width, or a plurality of micro-protrusions protruding on the inner side of the chamber with intervals.

[0024] Depending on the requirements, the cell activation section may also include multiple collision septa, which are formed at a specified height and width along the length of the inner side of the chamber, and are formed more prominently than the micro-convex walls or micro-protrusions.

[0025] Preferably, the fine concave-convex walls and partitions are arranged parallel to the central axis of the tube.

[0026] On the other hand, depending on the needs, the cell activation section also includes an activation column, which is rod-shaped in the lower part of the chamber and has multiple fine concave-convex walls protruding along the length direction on the outer peripheral surface.

[0027] Furthermore, depending on the need, the cell activation part is an active rod, which is located inside the chamber and has a length greater than the transverse width or diameter of the chamber, and is embossed on the outer peripheral surface in the form of microgrooves or microprotrusions.

[0028] On the other hand, as one embodiment, the tube body includes: an upper chamber, which is cylindrical with a predetermined diameter and length; and a lower chamber, which is connected to the upper chamber and extends downward in a manner that gradually narrows from the lower end of the upper chamber.

[0029] In another embodiment, the tube body includes: an upper chamber, which is cylindrical with a predetermined diameter and length; an intermediate chamber, which is cylindrical and has a constricted section that gradually narrows from the lower end of the upper chamber, wherein the predetermined diameter of the intermediate chamber is smaller than the diameter of the upper chamber, and extends downward from the constricted section; and a lower chamber, which is cylindrical and has an expanding section that gradually widens from the lower end of the intermediate chamber, wherein the predetermined diameter of the lower chamber is larger than the diameter of the intermediate chamber, and extends downward from the expanding section.

[0030] In this case, the cell activation section includes one of a plurality of micro-convex and concave walls protruding along the length direction on the inner side of the chamber with a specified height and width, or a plurality of micro-protrusions protruding on the inner side of the chamber with a predetermined interval, and is formed in at least one of the upper chamber or the lower chamber.

[0031] Furthermore, the cell activation section also includes multiple collision septa that form a specified height and width along the length of the inner side of the upper chamber, protruding more than the micro-concave-convex walls or micro-protrusions and formed with predetermined intervals.

[0032] Furthermore, in another embodiment, the tube body may include: an upper chamber having a predetermined diameter and length; and a lower chamber, which is cylindrical and gradually expands from the lower end of the upper chamber and extends downward, with the predetermined diameter and length being greater than the upper chamber.

[0033] On the other hand, the lower chamber of the present invention may be open at the bottom.

[0034] In this case, the lower chamber also includes a lower plug, which is combined in a detachable manner by forming a lower seal for sealing the bottom surface of the opening.

[0035] In this case, the cell activation section also includes an activation column, with the lower plug or lower seal being rod-shaped, and at least one of a plurality of micro-concave-convex walls or micro-protrusions protruding along the length direction on the outer peripheral surface.

[0036] Furthermore, as needed, the lower plug or lower seal can be raised or lowered along the inner or outer circumferential surface of the lower chamber by external force.

[0037] The effects of the invention

[0038] As described above, the blood separation tube with cell activation section of the present invention utilizes the vortex phenomenon generated in the blood separation tube during centrifugation to cause physical collision between the blood and the cell activation section and apply physical pressure to the blood. Therefore, it has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. It eliminates the need for double centrifugation and the process of applying physical pressure separately after centrifugation, thereby eliminating the work pressure on medical personnel and preventing cell contamination that may occur during transportation.

[0039] Furthermore, since the leukocyte layer (buffy coat) subjected to physical pressure through the cell activation section can be moved to the small-diameter intermediate chamber without loss, medical personnel can visually confirm and completely collect the leukocyte layer (buffy coat).

[0040] Furthermore, since the blood is activated through physical collision with the cell activation unit, the process of injecting a separate cell activator into the blood separation tube is eliminated, making cell activation easier. Since no cell activator is injected, accidents such as the re-injection of fine silica powder or other injected silica powder into the human body can be prevented in advance.

[0041] Furthermore, the fine, uneven walls parallel to the central axis of the tube guide the heavier red blood cells to move easily to the lower part of the centrifugation process, rather than remaining in the upper part. This helps the red blood cells to move quickly to the lower chamber without staying in the upper chamber, thus resulting in a clean white blood cell layer and plasma.

[0042] Furthermore, the multiple micro-indentations and collision septa that are formed increase the area for physical collisions, making it easier to apply physical pressure to the centrifuged blood, thereby activating blood cells.

[0043] Furthermore, during the centrifugation process, which is carried out at an angle, the active column and active rod that constitute the cell activation section can agitate the blood on the lower side when the blood separation tube is rotated, so that the leukocytes and platelets with a small specific gravity that exist between the large red blood cells can easily rise to the middle layer of the blood separation tube, thereby improving the blood separation efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Figure 1a , Figure 1b The figure illustrates an embodiment of the blood separation tube with a cell activation section according to the present invention.

[0045] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional perspective view of the main part of Figure 1.

[0046] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view based on line AA in Figure 1.

[0047] Figure 4a , Figure 4b The figure illustrates an embodiment of the blood separation tube of the present invention, which includes a cell activation section in the form of an active column.

[0048] Figures 5 to 7 The diagram illustrates several embodiments of a cell activation section based on the shape of the tube body used in the blood separation tube of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 8 and Figure 9 The diagram illustrates several embodiments of a cell activation section based on the shape of the tube body used in the blood separation tube of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 10 and Figure 11 This diagram illustrates an embodiment of the active rod constituting the cell activation section of the blood separation tube used in the present invention.

[0051] Best practice

[0052] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is characterized by comprising: a tube having a chamber for containing blood; and a cell activation section protruding from the inner side or interior of the chamber to activate blood cells through physical collision with centrifuged blood. Detailed Implementation

[0053] In describing the present invention, "upper" or "above" refers to the portion or direction of the upper plug 20 shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, and "lower" or "below" refers to the opposite portion or direction.

[0054] Furthermore, in order not to obscure the main idea of ​​the invention, specific descriptions of related well-known functions or structures will be omitted during the description of the invention.

[0055] Furthermore, when it is said that a part "includes" a structural element, unless there is a particularly contrary statement, it can mean that other structural elements may also be included, rather than excluding other structural elements.

[0056] On the other hand, in order to illustrate the structural elements containing the term "micro" in the entire specification of this invention, the structural elements containing the term "micro" are enlarged in all the drawings. It should be understood that these may be "very small" dimensions that the user cannot recognize in practice.

[0057] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the blood separation tube having a cell activation section of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0058] In this embodiment of the invention, blood separation tubes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and 1e with cell activation sections contain blood in the internal chamber Ch of the tube body 10. During centrifugal separation, the swirling blood collides with the cell activation section protruding from the chamber Ch to generate physical collision. The physical pressure generated by this collision can activate blood cells such as platelets, white blood cells, and lymphocytes that constitute blood cell components and plasma components in the blood.

[0059] In other words, the most significant feature of the blood separation tube with a cell activation section of the present invention is that the cell activation section is formed protruding from the chamber in a manner that allows the blood to collide during centrifugation. This cell activation section and the tube body have various embodiments.

[0060] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail.

[0061] As an example, first refer to Figures 1a to 4bAs shown in the figure, the blood separation tubes 1a and 1b with cell activation section in this embodiment of the invention include a tube body 10 with a chamber Ch for containing blood. In this case, a cell activation section is formed on the inner side or inside of the chamber Ch to physically collide with the centrifuged blood and activate the blood cells.

[0062] As an example, the tube body 10 described above is a hollow cylindrical shape with an upper inlet side opening and a chamber Ch having an internal receiving space.

[0063] Specifically, in one embodiment, the chamber Ch is a hollow cylinder, divided into an upper chamber 11 and a lower chamber 13.

[0064] Similar to the shape of the tube 10, the upper chamber 11 is cylindrical with a predetermined diameter and length. Furthermore, the lower chamber 13 is connected to the upper chamber 11, forming a shape with a closed bottom surface by gradually narrowing from the lower end of the upper chamber 11.

[0065] On the other hand, the chamber Ch of this tube 10 has a cell activation section on the inner side that allows the swirling blood to physically collide during centrifugation.

[0066] As an example, this cell activation section includes a plurality of fine concave-convex walls 31 protruding along the length direction on the inner surface of the chamber Ch with a specified height and width, or a plurality of fine protrusions 35 protruding on the inner surface of the chamber Ch. Figure 5 One of them.

[0067] Preferably, the fine concave-convex walls 31 are formed radially along the inner surface of the chamber Ch with a predetermined interval.

[0068] In the accompanying drawings, the cell activation portion in the upper chamber 11 constituting chamber Ch is represented by the morphology of finely textured walls 31, but it is not limited to this; as needed, such as Figure 1b As shown, it is natural that it can also be formed in the lower chamber 13.

[0069] On the other hand, the multiple micro-concave-convex walls 31 formed on the inner side of the upper chamber 11 are arranged parallel to the central axis C of the tube body 10 with a predetermined interval. Therefore, the micro-concave-convex walls 31 protrude vertically along the length direction on the inner side of the tube body 10.

[0070] Furthermore, the fine concave-convex walls 31 are shown in the form of rectangular lines protruding from the inner side of the chamber toward the central axis C, but are not limited to this; it is natural that semi-cylindrical lines or wavy lines can be formed.

[0071] However, although this will be explained later, it is most preferably formed in a rectangular shape that makes it easier for heavier red blood cells to move to the lower chamber side during centrifugation.

[0072] As described above, the cell activation section is constructed by forming a fine, uneven wall 31 along the inner circumferential surface of the tube body 10 with a predetermined interval.

[0073] Furthermore, when blood is contained in the chamber Ch of the blood separation tube 10 with the cell activation section as described above, if centrifugation is performed in a centrifuge, the blood will generate a vortex in the chamber Ch of the tube 10 during the centrifugation process.

[0074] In this situation, in the chamber Ch of the tube 10, a flow velocity will be generated as the blood flows, and the blood cells contained in the blood will also generate vortices rapidly. During the generation of vortices, the blood cells will collide with the fine uneven walls 31 of the tube 10, thereby being subjected to physical pressure.

[0075] Moreover, as described above, the micro-uneven wall 31 extends continuously along the length of the tube 10. This micro-uneven wall 31 increases the collision area with the blood, which will apply sufficient physical pressure to the blood cells of the centrifuged blood, thereby increasing the activation rate of blood cells.

[0076] Furthermore, by arranging the micro-convex and concave walls 31 in a manner parallel to the central axis of the tube body 10, the sliding action of the mold core can be smoothly realized during the tube manufacturing process, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0077] Furthermore, the cell activation part, which includes such a finely textured wall 31, will serve the following purpose: to ensure that red blood cells, which constitute a higher proportion of blood cells, do not remain in the upper part of the tube 10 during centrifugation, but can easily move to the lower part of the tube 10, that is, to guide red blood cells to easily move to the lower chamber 13 instead of remaining in the upper chamber 11.

[0078] In other words, during centrifugation, red blood cells in the blood are rapidly moved along the fine, uneven walls 31 that constitute the cell activation section to the lower chamber 17, instead of remaining in the upper chamber 11, thereby allowing the extraction of a clean layer of white blood cells (buffy coat) and plasma.

[0079] On the other hand, referring again to the accompanying drawings, the cell activation sections 1a and 1b of the blood separation tube of the present invention also include a plurality of collision partitions 32, which are formed with a predetermined height and width along the length of the inner side surface of the chamber Ch, and protrude further toward the central axis than the micro-convex and concave wall 31 and are formed with a predetermined interval.

[0080] This collision baffle 32 protrudes further toward the central axis C than the micro-convex and concave wall 31, and is formed in a manner that is parallel to the central axis of the tube body 10.

[0081] Moreover, this collision partition 32 is disposed between the above-mentioned multiple micro-concave and convex walls 31, and its ends gradually narrow towards the central axis C. As a preferred embodiment, the cross-section is trapezoidal.

[0082] This trapezoidal collision baffle 32 is used to stably generate collisions during centrifugation, allowing red blood cells to easily move downwards along it.

[0083] As described above, by further providing multiple collision baffles 32 in the cell activation section 30, the blood located on the central side of the tube body 10 and the blood located on the inner side of the tube body 10 are uniformly mixed, ultimately resulting in the effect of uniformly applying physical pressure to the blood cells in the chamber Ch of the tube body 10.

[0084] On the other hand, although the cross section of the collision partition 32 is illustrated in a trapezoidal shape, it is not limited to this. Any shape can be adopted as long as it can generate a stable collision with the blood during centrifugation and allow the red blood cells to move easily along it to the bottom.

[0085] In the above Figures 1a to 4b In the embodiments, although the cell activation section 30 is shown in the form of a micro-convex wall 31 and a collision septum 32, the micro-convex wall 31 can be a micro-protrusion 35 forming multiple embossed patterns. Figure 5 As needed, they can be combined to form micro-concave-convex walls 31 and micro-protrusions 35, which is to be expected.

[0086] In other words, the cell activation section is formed protruding inside the tube 10 to collide with the blood. As long as it can apply physical pressure to the blood during centrifugation by being set in a preset position on the inner side or inside of the chamber Ch, it can be changed into various forms, which is to be expected.

[0087] Moreover, such as Figure 1b As shown, this cell activation section can be located not only in the upper chamber 11, but also in the lower chamber 13 as needed, which is to be expected.

[0088] The cell activation section formed in the lower chamber 13 will further increase the frequency of physical collisions of blood during centrifugation, thus further increasing the physical pressure of blood and improving cell separation efficiency.

[0089] On the other hand, such as Figure 1b and Figure 4bAs shown, the cell activation section formed in the upper chamber 11 can also be located on the lower side of the upper chamber 11. In this case, the height H2 of the cell activation section accounts for less than 45 to 50% of the total height H1 of the upper chamber 11 in the lower part.

[0090] Hemocytes, which contain red blood cells, make up about 45% of the total blood volume. During centrifugation, a small number of hemocytes may become stuck in the protruding cell activation zone and unable to move to the lower part of the cell, thus becoming stuck.

[0091] To prevent this from happening, preferably, the height of the cell activation section is lower than 45% of the amount of blood cells, relative to the total height H1 of the upper chamber 11, so that the blood cells in the blood can be separated stably without obstruction and all gather in the lower part.

[0092] The formation of this cell activation section, H2, can be adjusted according to the amount of blood cells in the blood to ensure complete separation of blood cell and plasma components from centrifuged blood.

[0093] In addition, the tube body 10 constituting the blood separation tube includes an upper plug 20, which can seal the upper part of the open chamber Ch and maintain airtightness.

[0094] The upper plug 20 includes a seal 22 that can be detachably attached to the upper part of the opening of the tube body 10 by snap-fit ​​or threaded engagement and into which an injection needle can be inserted. This upper plug is a common and well-known structure, and in order to prevent the gist of the invention from becoming obscured, a detailed description will be omitted.

[0095] On the other hand, such as Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown in the embodiments, except Figure 1a and Figure 1b In addition to the structure shown, the blood separation tube 1b with a cell activation section of the present invention may also include an activation column 33 as a cell activation section. The activation column 33 is rod-shaped inside the lower chamber 13 and has a plurality of fine concave and convex walls 33a protruding along the length direction on its outer peripheral surface.

[0096] In this case, preferably, the micro-uneven walls 33a are arranged inside the chamber with a predetermined interval around the outer peripheral surface of the active column 33, and are arranged in a manner parallel to the central axis.

[0097] This active column 33 is formed to a predetermined length and is configured to be housed inside the lower chamber 13. From the initial stage of centrifugation, it collides with white blood cells, lymphocytes, platelets, etc. in the center of the lower chamber 13 and simultaneously with the upper chamber 11, thereby applying physical pressure to the blood more effectively.

[0098] Furthermore, during the centrifugation process performed at an angle, the active column 33 can agitate the blood in the lower part of the tube 10, i.e. the blood in the lower chamber 13, when the blood separation tube is rotated, so that the leukocytes and platelets with a smaller specific gravity, which exist between the large red blood cells, can easily rise to the middle layer of the blood separation tube, thereby easily forming a leukocyte layer (buffy coat).

[0099] On the other hand, the shape of the aforementioned micro-uneven wall 33a is the same as the shape of the micro-uneven wall 31 formed on the inner side of the cavity, but it is not limited to this, such as Figure 5 As shown, it is natural that multiple micro protrusions 35 can be replaced or combined to form micro-concave-convex walls and micro-protrusions.

[0100] Figures 5 to 7 The diagram illustrates several embodiments of a cell activation section based on the shape of the tube body used in the blood separation tube of the present invention.

[0101] As shown in the figure, the blood separation tube of the present invention having a cell activation section is formed into a tube body 10 shape for improving centrifugal separation efficiency.

[0102] Therefore, the blood separation tubes 1c and 1d with cell activation sections include: a tube body having a chamber for containing blood; and a cell activation section protruding from the inner surface or interior of the chamber, which activates blood cells through physical collision with the centrifuged blood.

[0103] In this case, chamber Ch includes an upper chamber 11, an intermediate chamber 12, and a lower chamber 13.

[0104] The upper chamber 11 has an upper opening and forms a cylindrical shape with a predetermined diameter and length.

[0105] The intermediate chamber 12 is cylindrical and has a constricted section that gradually narrows from the lower end of the upper chamber 11. The predetermined diameter of the intermediate chamber 12 is smaller than the diameter of the upper chamber 11, and it extends downward from the constricted section.

[0106] Furthermore, the lower chamber 13 is cylindrical in shape and has an expanding section that gradually expands from the lower end of the middle chamber 12. The predetermined diameter of the lower chamber 13 is larger than the diameter of the middle chamber 12, and it extends downward from the expanding section.

[0107] Therefore, during centrifugation, the plasma components of the blood will accumulate in the upper chamber 11, forming a leukocyte layer (buffy coat) containing leukocytes and platelets in the middle chamber 12, while the red blood cells will accumulate in the lower chamber 13.

[0108] In this case, depending on the amount of blood components separated by centrifugation, it is natural that a layer of white blood cells (buffy coat) may also form in the upper part of the lower chamber 13.

[0109] Moreover, as according to Figures 1a to 4b As described herein, the cell activation section includes one of a plurality of fine concave-convex walls 31 or a plurality of fine protrusions 35 that protrude along the length direction on the inner side of the chamber Ch of the tube body 10 with a specified height and width, and is formed in at least one of the upper chamber 11 or the lower chamber 13.

[0110] In the accompanying drawings, a fine concave-convex wall 31 is formed in the upper chamber 11, and a fine protrusion 35 in the form of an embossed pattern is formed in the lower chamber 13. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the positions can be interchanged or combined with each other, which is to be expected.

[0111] Furthermore, if necessary, the cell activation section can be formed only in the lower chamber 13, which is perfectly reasonable.

[0112] However, in order to easily separate the heavier red blood cells during centrifugation and to prevent blood from adhering to the edges of the fine irregularities 31 or fine protrusions 35 that constitute the cell activation region, preferably, as shown in the figure Figures 5 to 7 The cell activation section is formed in the manner shown.

[0113] Furthermore, preferably, the cell activation section also includes a plurality of collision partitions 32, which are formed with a specified height and width along the length of the inner side surface of the upper chamber 11, and protrude further toward the central axis than the micro-convex and concave wall 31 and are formed with a predetermined interval.

[0114] The structure and function of this cell activation region have been based on Figures 1a to 4b Examples have been provided, and detailed descriptions will be omitted in order not to obscure the main points of the invention.

[0115] On the other hand, as shown in the figure, the lower chamber 13 is formed into a cylindrical shape with an open bottom surface.

[0116] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the lower chamber 13 is sealed by the lower plug 40, which includes the lower seal 41, and maintains airtightness.

[0117] Preferably, the lower seal 41 is made entirely of an elastomer or its outer peripheral surface is made of an elastomer, so that even when a load is applied during centrifugal separation, it is strongly and tightly attached to the inner surface of the lower chamber 13 to prevent blood leakage.

[0118] Although the lower seal 41 and the lower plug 40 are described as separate structural elements, the lower seal itself can be a lower plug, as shown in the figure, and can be formed into a plug shape with a separate seal.

[0119] Furthermore, as the lower plug 40 or the lower seal 41 is formed to be detachably combined with the lower chamber 13, it will rise or fall along the inner or outer circumferential surface of the lower chamber 13 by external force.

[0120] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The lower seal 41 is formed separately on the bottom surface of the lower chamber 13 and combined with the lower plug 40. The lower seal 41 inside the lower chamber 13 is pushed up or down along the inner circumferential surface of the lower chamber 13 by a separate component such as the piston 50.

[0121] In this case, the piston 50 is a component that pushes the lower seal 41 upward, forming a separate lifting track 51 on its outer peripheral surface. The lower seal 41 can be slowly pushed upward or pulled downward by the corresponding lower plug 40 of the tube 10, but it is not limited to this and can also be formed in a simple rod shape, etc.

[0122] Furthermore, a handle 52 is formed on the piston 50 so that medical personnel can grip the handle 52 and support the tip of their fingers, thereby having the advantage of being able to push the lower seal 41 upward with relatively small force.

[0123] Reference Figure 7 The lower plug 40 is a structure that can be detachably connected to the male threaded portion 13a formed on the lower outer peripheral surface of the lower chamber 13, and can rise or fall along the lower outer peripheral surface of the lower chamber 13 through the threaded connection structure.

[0124] Although not in Figure 7 As shown in the figure, it is natural that a lower seal (not shown) is provided on the outer side of the lower end of the lower chamber 13.

[0125] On the other hand, as described above, the blood separation tube of the present invention may also include an active column 33 as a cell activation part, which is rod-shaped inside the lower chamber 13 and has a plurality of micro-concave-convex walls 33a or micro-protrusions (not shown) protruding along the length direction on the outer peripheral surface.

[0126] Therefore, referring to Figure 5 and Figure 7 This active column 33 is formed in the lower plug 40 or the lower seal 41, and will be rod-shaped with a plurality of fine protrusions and depressions 33a protruding along the length direction on its outer peripheral surface. This active column 33 may include the shape of fine protrusions, and the structure and function of this active column 33 have been described in reference to... Figure 4a , Figure 4b The explanation has been provided, and therefore it should be regarded as a reference to the specific explanation.

[0127] This active column 33 will be housed inside the lower chamber 13 by a lower plug 40 or a lower seal 41.

[0128] As described above, the blood separation tube of this embodiment of the invention can, during the centrifugation process, use a leukocyte layer (buffy coat) containing leukocytes and platelets as the center, with a plasma layer stacked on top and a red blood cell layer stacked on the bottom.

[0129] Once centrifugation is complete, a syringe is inserted through the upper seal 22 of the upper plug 20 into the plasma layer of the tube 10 to extract plasma, or a syringe is inserted through the upper seal 22 into the leukocyte layer (buffy coat) of the tube 10 to extract both the leukocyte layer and plasma.

[0130] In this case, the white blood cell layer is only about 1% of the total solution. In fact, in a large-diameter tube, it will cover the red blood cells as thinly as paper, making it difficult for experts to separate them.

[0131] However, according to such Figures 5 to 7 The tube body 10 of the present invention shown can be thickened if a leukocyte layer is formed in the small-diameter intermediate chamber 12, thereby making it easy to extract the leukocyte layer.

[0132] Furthermore, the white blood cell layer located in the upper part of the lower chamber 13 can be moved to the middle chamber 12 by raising or lowering the lower seal 41 or the lower plug 40 of the lower chamber 13, thereby making extraction easy.

[0133] On the other hand, such as Figures 5 to 7 The blood separation tube with cell activation section of the present invention also includes a vibration damping plate 60, which is integrally disposed on the outer side of the tube body 10 to prevent the tube body 10 from shaking during centrifugation.

[0134] This vibration damping plate 60 keeps the blood separation tube stable in the centrifugal separation device, absorbs the generated vibrations, and maintains accurate positioning.

[0135] As described above, since the vibration damper 60 prevents the tube 10 from shaking during centrifugation, the blood layer separation will not be mixed, and the layer separation is clear and easy to extract.

[0136] then, Figure 8 and Figure 9 Other tube shapes of the blood separation tube with a cell activation section of the present invention are shown.

[0137] As shown in the figure, the blood separation tube 1e with a cell activation section includes a bottle-shaped tube body 10 with a narrow neck (inlet).

[0138] Specifically, the chamber Ch of the tube body 10 includes: an upper chamber 11', which has a predetermined small diameter and length; and a lower chamber 13', which is cylindrical and gradually expands from the lower end of the upper chamber 11' and extends downward, with a predetermined diameter and length greater than the upper chamber 11'.

[0139] Moreover, compared with the reference Figures 5 to 7 The same embodiment is described, with the bottom surface of the lower chamber 13' being an open cylindrical shape, and the bottom surface being sealed by the lower seal 41 and the lower plug 40 to maintain airtightness.

[0140] For reference Figure 5 and Figure 7 As described above, this lower seal 41 also includes an active column 33, which is rod-shaped and has multiple fine concave-convex walls 33a protruding along the length direction on its outer peripheral surface.

[0141] Moreover, although not shown, it is only natural that such active columns 33 can also form collision baffles (not shown) more prominently in a spaced manner.

[0142] Furthermore, as referenced Figures 1a to 7 As can be seen from the description, it is natural that a cell activation section formed on the inner surface of the lower chamber 13' can be formed as needed.

[0143] On the other hand, regarding the construction of the cell activation section, the blood separation tube of the present invention having the cell activation section may include an active rod 30' with embossing 36 formed on its outer peripheral surface, so as to move together with the blood and generate physical collision during centrifugation (see reference). Figure 6 and Figure 9 ).

[0144] Specifically, refer to Figure 10 The length b of this active rod 30' is greater than the lateral width or diameter a of the chamber Ch. Figure 6 Furthermore, embossing 35 is formed on the outer peripheral surface in the form of micro grooves 36b or micro protrusions 36a.

[0145] This embossing 35 can form micro protrusions 36a or micro grooves 36b in a single or mixed manner.

[0146] Moreover, although the active rod 30' is shown in the accompanying drawings as a rod with a predetermined thickness and length and a rectangular cross-section, the present invention is not limited to this. Various forms can be adopted as long as the rod can move together with the blood in the chamber Ch during centrifugation and generate physical collisions.

[0147] For example, refer to Figure 11 The active rod 30' can be a cylindrical rod with embossing on its outer peripheral surface or a "V"-shaped rod with embossing on its outer peripheral surface.

[0148] Similar to the aforementioned active column 33, during centrifugation at an angle, the active rod 30' constituting this cell-activating part can agitate the blood on the lower side when the blood separation tube is rotated, allowing the low-density white blood cells and platelets, which exist between the large red blood cells, to easily rise to the middle layer of the blood separation tube, thereby improving the blood separation efficiency.

[0149] Furthermore, this active rod 30' can be used in all embodiments of the present invention, and it is natural that it can be used together with the active column 33 or alone.

[0150] Moreover, it is natural that such an active rod 30' can be provided together or separately as the micro-concave-convex wall 31, collision septum 32 and micro-protrusion 35 constituting the cell activation part.

[0151] The following will describe the usage of the blood separation tubes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and 1e with cell activation sections according to several embodiments of the present invention as described above.

[0152] First, the collected blood is injected into the chamber Ch of the blood separation tube 10 of this embodiment of the invention by collecting blood from the patient's venous blood or bone marrow.

[0153] Furthermore, the upper side inlet of the opening of the upper chamber 11 constituting the tube body 10 is combined with the upper plug 20, and the upper seal 22 is used to seal and maintain the airtightness of the chamber Ch.

[0154] According to different embodiments, if there is a lower chamber 13 with an opening at the bottom, the airtightness of the chamber Ch is maintained by using a lower plug 40 with a lower seal 41 to connect and seal it.

[0155] Therefore, the chamber Ch of the tube body 10 forms a structure that is isolated from the outside. During the process of separating blood components, the blood is prevented from being contaminated by blocking exposure to external air, which can further extend the blood preservation time.

[0156] In this case, with the upper plug 20 of the tube body 10 engaged, the collected blood can be injected into the chamber Ch of the tube body 10 using a syringe through the upper seal 22, which is self-evident.

[0157] Next, a blood separation tube containing blood is installed in the hopper of a centrifuge that performs centrifugal separation at an angle, and the centrifuge is rotated at a speed of 2000 rpm to 4000 rpm to separate the blood by centrifugation.

[0158] In this case, vibration damping plate 60 is installed in the blood separation tube to prevent shaking during centrifugation.

[0159] Furthermore, based on the difference in specific gravity during centrifugation, the heavier red blood cells in the blood components sink to the lower chambers 13 and 13' of chamber Ch, while the relatively lighter monocytes, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and platelets gather in the center or middle chamber 12 of chamber Ch, and plasma gathers in the upper chambers 11 and 11'.

[0160] Moreover, during the process of centrifuging the blood, the blood will generate a vortex in chamber Ch of tube 10.

[0161] That is, a blood vortex phenomenon will be generated in the chamber 11 of the tube 10. Under this condition, blood cells will also move rapidly together. During the flow, the blood will collide with the micro-undulation walls 31 formed on the inner surface of the tube 10, and thus be subjected to pressure. This blood collision will occur during the rotation of thousands of times per minute.

[0162] Furthermore, through the collision baffle 32 formed on the inner side of the tube 10, with the center of the tube 10 as the reference, the blood located on the outer side and the blood located on the inner side of the tube 10 will be mixed evenly, and finally, physical pressure will be applied evenly to the blood cells containing the blood in the tube 10.

[0163] Finally, once the centrifugation of the blood is complete, the heavier red blood cells, due to their difference in density, aggregate in the lower chamber 13 to form a red blood cell layer. A white blood cell layer, containing white blood cells and platelets, is layered on top of the red blood cell layer, and a plasma layer is layered on top of the white blood cell layer to form the upper chamber 11 region. Thus, the blood will be separated into a red blood cell layer, a white blood cell layer, and a plasma layer.

[0164] Furthermore, plasma can be drawn by inserting a syringe into the plasma layer of the tube body 10 through the upper seal 22, or leukocytes and plasma can be drawn by inserting a syringe into the leukocyte layer of the tube body 10 through the upper seal 22.

[0165] As needed, such as Figures 5 to 9 As shown, the white blood cell layer can be gathered into a small diameter area by raising or lowering the lower seal 41 or the lower plug 40, thereby making extraction more convenient.

[0166] Furthermore, a cell activation section can be formed in the lower part of chamber Ch in the form of an active column 33 or an active rod 30'. During centrifugation separation in an angled manner, the active column 33 and the active rod 30' can agitate the blood on the lower side of the tube 10, allowing the low-density white blood cells and platelets that exist between the large red blood cells to easily rise to the middle layer of the blood separation tube, thereby improving the blood separation efficiency.

[0167] The present invention described above can be modified and altered in various ways by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and drawings.

Claims

1. A blood separation tube, characterized in that, include: The tube body has chambers for containing blood; as well as A cell activation section is formed protruding from the inner side or inside of the aforementioned chamber to activate blood cells through physical collision with the centrifuged blood. The aforementioned chambers include: The upper chamber is cylindrical with a predetermined diameter and length; The intermediate chamber is cylindrical and has a tapered section that gradually narrows from the lower end of the upper chamber. The predetermined diameter of the intermediate chamber is smaller than the diameter of the upper chamber, and it extends downward from the tapered section. The lower chamber is cylindrical and has an expanding section that gradually widens from the lower end of the intermediate chamber. The predetermined diameter of the lower chamber is larger than the diameter of the intermediate chamber, and it extends downward from the expanding section. One of the following: a plurality of micro-convex and concave walls protruding along the length of the inner surface of the aforementioned chamber with a specified height and width, or a plurality of micro-protrusions protruding at predetermined intervals on the inner surface of the aforementioned chamber, and formed in at least one of the aforementioned upper or lower chambers. The cell activation part further includes an activation column, which is rod-shaped in the lower part of the chamber and has at least one of a plurality of micro-concave-convex walls or a plurality of micro-protrusions protruding along the length direction on the outer peripheral surface; or the cell activation part is an activation rod, which is disposed inside the chamber and has a length greater than the transverse width or diameter of the chamber, and is embossed on the outer peripheral surface in the form of micro-grooves or micro-protrusions.

2. The blood separation tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned cell activation section also includes multiple collision septa, which are formed along the length direction with a specified height and width, and are formed more prominently on the inner surface of the aforementioned chamber than the aforementioned micro-concave-convex walls or micro-protrusions.

3. The blood separation tube according to claim 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned micro-concave-convex walls and collision baffles are arranged in a manner parallel to the central axis of the aforementioned tube.

4. The blood separation tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned chambers include: The upper chamber is cylindrical with a predetermined diameter and length; and The lower chamber is connected to the upper chamber and extends downwards in a manner that gradually narrows from the lower end of the upper chamber.

5. The blood separation tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cell activation section also includes multiple collision septa that are formed along the length of the inner side of the upper chamber at a predetermined height and width, protruding more than the aforementioned micro-concave-convex walls or micro-protrusions and formed with predetermined intervals.

6. The blood separation tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned lower chamber also includes a lower plug, which is assembled in a detachable manner by forming a lower seal for sealing the bottom surface of the opening.

7. The blood separation tube according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cell activation section further includes an activation column, wherein the lower plug or lower seal is rod-shaped, and at least one of a plurality of micro-deformed walls or micro-protrusions protruding along the length direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface.

8. The blood separation tube according to claim 6, characterized in that, The aforementioned lower plug or lower seal rises or falls along the inner or outer circumferential surface of the aforementioned lower chamber by external force.

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