Automated Method For Leukocyte Collection From Whole Blood

A blood cell separation device for separating lymphocytes and/or stem cells from whole blood in an automated procedure, comprising:

• a pumping section for pumping a fluid through a tubing set including a plasma/buffy-coat tube installed on the blood cell separation device;
• a centrifuge compartment, which comprises a separation chamber for the automated separation of buffy-coat from whole blood;
• a detector device for determining the presence of target cells, such as lymphocytes and/or stem cells, in a fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube, and for determining the presence of red blood cells in the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube;
• an automatic clamp for directing the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube in a direction away from a collection container and for directing the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube into the collection container;
• and
• a processor device for controlling the automatic clamp, the processor device being constituted to switch the position of the automatic clamp to direct the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube into the collection container when the detector device determines the target cells to be present in the plasma/buffy-coat tube (124), and the processor device being further constituted to switch the position of the automatic clamp to direct the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube away from the collection container when the detector device determines the red blood cells to be present in the plasma/buffy-coat tube, wherein
• the detector device monitors at least turbidity and colour of the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube and the transfer of the target cells into the collection container is initiated when the detector device determines that the turbidity of the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube has risen from a level indicating the absence of the target cells to a level indicating the presence of the target cells and that the colour of the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube has changed from a colour indicating the absence of the target cells to a colour indicating the presence of the target cells, and
• the transfer of the target cells into the collection container is terminated when the detector device determines that a predefined threshold of the colour of the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube has been reached, with the predefined threshold of the colour of the fluid stream in the plasma/buffy-coat tube indicating the presence of red blood cells.