Serum-separating tube

Serum-separating tubes also known as a serum separator tubes, Tyco Healthcare "Corvac" (trademark) tubes, or SSTs. They are used in medical clinical chemistry tests requiring blood serum, and contains a special gel that separates blood cells from serum, as well as particles to cause blood to clot quickly.

Related Topics:
Serum - Tyco - Medical - Clinical chemistry - Blood

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These tubes cannot be used for therapeutic drug levels because the drug will diffuse from the serum into the gel, causing a reduction in measured drug level. SST stoppers are either gold or red-gray (they are sometimes called "marble-top tubes" for this reason).

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The gel in SST II tubes (which appears slightly less opaque) is supposed to have less effect on drug levels in serum.

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