Rapid Separation op Cells at Unit Gravity

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Abstract
An apparatus is described for the rapid separation of cells at unit gravity. The apparatus is filled with a discontinuous density gradient, followed by the sample and then an overlay. The sedimentation chamber is turned from a vertical to a horizontal position before sedimentation takes place in order, (a) to form a continuous gradient out of the discontinuous gradient and, (b) to reduce the time required for the separation. After the sedimentation is completed the chamber is returned to a vertical position and the gradient fractionated by hydrostatic pressure using a newly developed floating device. The usefulness of the method is illustrated by the separation of leukemia cells in different phases of the life cycle. Velocity sedimentation at unit gravity has been used successfully to separate cells that differ in size, but the phenomenon of streaming sets a limit to the usefulness of the method2. Recently we were able to eliminate part of the streaming phenomenon3, but another disadvantage, i. e. the long periods of time required to separate cells at unit gravity, still remained. This aspect of the problem was investigated and in this paper a rapid and reliable procedure for separating murine leukemia cells, according to the various phases of their life cycle, is presented. The method has already beeti applied for the separation of monocytes from lymphocytes4.