Whole blood separator apparatus and method of use

An apparatus for separating a selected cell population from blood or a blood component, the apparatus comprising:

• a flexible primary collection container for receiving the blood or blood component;
• a plurality of particles in the primary collection container, the particles having bound thereto a ligand which specifically binds to a selected cell population, the particles having a density sufficient to provide differential gravity settling of the population from the remaining blood components, the particle density being at least two times the density of the cells;
• at least one secondary flexible container;
• a plurality of fluid transfer devices interconnecting the flexible containers;
• and
• a compression separation device for separating the selected cell population bound to the particles from the blood or blood component, the device moving at least a portion of another portion of the blood through at least one of the fluid transfer devices to at least one of the secondary flexible containers.

A method of separating leukocytes from whole blood comprising the steps of:

• providing a sterile container;
• moving blood into the sterile container through a sterile connection;
• dispersing a plurality of particles having bound thereto a reactant which specifically binds to leukocytes, the particles having a density sufficient to provide differential gravity settling of the leukocytes from the remaining sample of the whole blood;
• settling the leukocytes bound with the particles;
• and
• separating the remaining blood from the leukocyte bound particles to another sterile container.

A method of filtering leukocytes from whole blood resulting in high yields of both platelets and red blood cells, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a sterile container;
• moving blood into the sterile container through a sterile connection;
• dispersing a plurality of particles having bound thereto a reactant which specifically binds to leukocytes, the particles having a density sufficient to provide differential gravity settling of the leukocytes from the remaining sample of the whole blood;
• settling the leukocytes bound with the particles;
• and
• decanting the remaining of the blood from the leukocytes bound particles to a second sterile container.