What type of tube is recommended for storing first pull bone marrow aspirate?

The recommended type of tube for storing a first pull bone marrow aspirate is the green top tube, which contains sodium heparin. Heparin acts as an anticoagulant, effectively preventing clotting of the bone marrow sample. This is crucial as it allows for the preservation of cellular components and provides an accurate representation of the bone marrow's cellularity and morphology for subsequent analysis, particularly in cytometric studies.

Bone marrow aspirates must be processed quickly to maintain viability and integrity, making heparinized tubes a preferred choice because they allow for prolonged storage without clot formation. The sodium heparin's ability to maintain the sample in a liquid state aids in performing further cytological and flow cytometric analyses, which rely on intact cells for accurate results.

Other tube types, while serving different purposes in laboratory diagnostics, are less suitable for bone marrow samples. For instance, the blue top tube, which contains citrate, is primarily used for coagulation studies and may not adequately preserve cellular characteristics. The red top tube, containing no anticoagulants, is not suitable for hematologic analyses as it allows the sample to clot. The purple top tube, which contains EDTA, is often used for hematological studies but can potentially alter the morphology