Sampling instructions and transport

Bone marrow aspirate (heparin tube + NaCl) and blood samples are sampled in a heparin tube or an EDTA tube and thoroughly mixed/spun 10 times before being packed for transport.
The serum tube should be centrifuged and drained. If this is not possible, it is done at Uppsala BioLab.
Cerebrospinal fluid should be centrifuged and the supernatant aliquoted into one or more new tubes before transport. Do not pipette the bottom layer, as cell-free supernatant is required.

Cerebrospinal fluid is sent upon diagnosis and relapse, or is frozen.

Centrifuge at 300g for 10 minutes. The supernatant is aliquoted into one or more new cryotubes. The tubes are frozen immediately at -80°C. If centrifugation is not possible, freeze the liquid in the cryotubes at -80°C. The frozen samples are sent in batches every six months or as required.

If centrifugation is not possible, the cerebrospinal fluid sample is sent uncentrifuged.
If the sample cannot reach UBlab within a few hours, it should be frozen in aliquots of approximately 1 ml and sent in a batch on a later occasion.
The quality of frozen samples depends on correct storage until transport and how quickly the samples arrive at Uppsala BioLab.
Bone marrow and blood should be stored at room temperature, cerebrospinal fluid is stored in a refrigerator.