Welcome to the Leukocyte Core!

Our core facility provides leukoreduction filters that have been used to remove leukocytes from whole units of blood obtained from normal blood donors. UMass investigators can then extract the leukocytes from the leukoreduction filters for downstream applications such as the isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells on density gradients of ficoll, percoll, or equivalent. Such protocols typically yield 1-2 x 10^9 PBMCs.

 
Viable human peripheral blood leukocytes are an important resource for biomedical research, including research in the fields of immunology, inflammation, and infectious diseases. While there are a number of methods by which human peripheral blood leukocytes may be obtained, our core endeavors to provide campus investigators with a relatively convenient, cost-effective, and reliable source of these valuable cells.