Clinical Sample Processing
Clinical Sample Processing - Related Videos
09:05
Determining the Phagocytic Activity of Clinical Antibody Samples
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Cited by 33 •
2011
We present a high-throughput flow cytometric assay to determine the phagocytic activity of antigen-specific antibodies from clinical samples, utilizing fluorescent antigen-coated beads and a monocytic cell line expressing multiple Fc receptors—providing receptor usage and phagocytic activity determinations in a standardized and reproducible fashion for any antigen of interest.
14:32
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
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Cited by 26 •
2011
This paper illustrates an innovative visual approach (photovoice or photo-elicitation) to achieve fair process in clinical care for patients living with chronic health conditions, illuminate gaps in clinical knowledge, forge better therapeutic relationships, and identify patient-centered goals and possibilities for healing.
09:36
Unbiased Deep Sequencing of RNA Viruses from Clinical Samples
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Cited by 50 •
2016
This protocol describes a rapid and broadly applicable method for unbiased RNA-sequencing of viral samples from human clinical isolates.
05:07
Sampling Strategies and Processing of Biobank Tissue Samples from Porcine Biomedical Models
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Cited by 20 •
2018
The practical application and performance of methods for generation of representative tissue samples of porcine animal models for a broad spectrum of downstream analyses in biobank projects are demonstrated, including volumetry, systematic random sampling, and differential processing of tissue samples for qualitative and quantitative morphologic and molecular analyses types.
10:44
Generating Whole Bacterial Genomes from Clinical Samples using a Target Enrichment Workflow
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Cited by 1 •
2025
Here, we present a protocol to enable whole-genome sequencing of bacterial sexually transmitted infections from clinical samples using target enrichment. This novel, syndromic panel-based method overcomes challenges of abundant human DNA and low bacterial loads, facilitating genomic surveillance for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, and Mycoplasma genitalium.
FAQs
Controlled transport and stabilization limit degradation before testing begins. Their purpose is to preserve target molecules and, when needed, viable cells until the specimen can be prepared. If handling is inconsistent, changes introduced before the assay may resemble biological differences between patients. This makes documented, standardized preanalytical conditions important for reliable immunology and infection measurements.
The intended assay and specimen composition determine which fraction is retained after centrifugation. Processing may separate plasma or serum from cells, allowing the laboratory to examine the component suited to its measurement. Clear separation also helps prevent cellular material from being carried into analyses where it is not wanted.
Removing contaminants can improve the suitability of a specimen for downstream analysis, but the preparation must not sacrifice the target molecules or viable cells being studied. This balance matters because residual unwanted material or excessive loss during preparation can contribute to distorted measurements. Standardized methods make that balance more reproducible.
Standardization makes results more comparable by reducing variation introduced during collection, transport, preparation, and analysis. Without consistent handling, a measured difference may reflect specimen degradation or contamination rather than a true difference between patients or experimental groups. This is especially relevant when studies compare immune profiles, pathogen detection results, or treatment responses.
A workflow begins with collection and controlled transport, followed by stabilization and specimen-specific preparation. Depending on the test, preparation can include centrifugation, aliquoting, nucleic acid extraction, or contaminant removal. The final material is then directed to the selected laboratory analysis. This sequence links preanalytical handling to the reliability of the result.
Aliquoting divides a prepared specimen into portions for separate analyses, while nucleic acid extraction prepares nucleic acid targets for assays that require them. These steps help match the specimen to the analytical objective and can support pathogen detection or other molecular measurements within a study. Their use depends on the specimen and planned assay.
The same overall handling framework can be adapted to different analytical goals. Preserving viable cells supports immune-cell profiling, while retaining suitable molecular material supports pathogen detection and biomarker analysis. Proper preparation also enables antibody measurements and evaluation of treatment responses, linking specimen quality to translational interpretation.