Cellular Immune Assays

Download a requisition form (pdf) to request samples. Make as many photocopies as you need.

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Collection, Handling & Shipping

  1. Blood should be drawn into sterile, green-top (sodium heparin) Vacutainers, unless otherwise specified below. Draw the amount indicated below for the assay requested. (The amounts specified are for an adult.) If for a child please contact the Immunology laboratory for the minimum amount required, and be able to provide a recent WBC result so we can calculate the minimum amount required.

  2. Please draw a second healthy control at the same time of the first draw and send with the vial to be tested. Treat the normal control in the same manner as the patient's blood and draw the quantity recommended below:

Lymphocyte Immunophenotyping
Includes CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, and CD16/56(NK)
Please include same day CBC results in order for absolute numbers of each lymphocyte subset to be calculated. For all other leucocyte CD markers draw an additional 1.0 cc/marker.		 Minimum of 1.5cc
Lymphocyte Transformation
Mitogens Only (PHA, ConA and PWM) 10-15cc
Mitogens and Antigens (PHA, ConA, PWM, tetanus and Candida) 20-30cc
In pediatric patients or in individuals where this amount of blood is not possible to obtain, the laboratory can do a "whole blood" method. The quantity of blood needed for these are as follows:
Mitogens (PHA, ConA and PWM) 1-2cc
Mitogens and antigens (PHA, ConA, PWM, tetanus and Candida) 2-4cc
Neutrophil Chemotaxis 5-10cc
Neutrophil Bactericidal 10-20cc
NBT (Nitroblue Tetrazolium Dye Reduction Test)
DHR (Dihydrorhodamine)		 2cc
Opsonophagocytosis (Opsonochemiluminescence)
With PMNs Only 10-20cc
With Serum 5cc of serum

  1. For all tests other than lymphocyte immunophenotyping, call the Clinical Immunology Laboratory at least one week before the test is to be run.

  2. Draw blood into Vacutainers and label tubes with the patient's name, date, time of blood draw, and the patient's identification number. Indicate which sample is the control specimen. Do not centrifuge the tubes (except if serum is requested for an opsonochemiluminescence assay).

  3. Place the tubes in a leak-proof plastic bag, e.g., a Ziploc bag and then place upright in a Styrofoam container and place absorbent packing material around the bag. Do not pack on ice. Keep samples at room temperature at all times (18-23°C). Avoid temperature extremes.

  4. Label package: "Human Blood - Deliver Immediately. Do not freeze. Perishable."

  5. Blood should not be over 24 hours old when it is received at National Jewish Health. It should reach the lab the next morning after being drawn. We recommend shipping by AirBorne Express, PRIORITY OVERNIGHT.

  6. Enclose name, address, and phone number of referring physician and/or institution for reporting results and billing. Only facility billing will be performed, no patient insurance will be billed.

Address package to:
Client Services
Clinical Immunology Laboratory
National Jewish Health
1400 Jackson St., Room M013
Denver, CO. USA 80206

If you have questions, please call the Immunology Lab at 303-398-1344.


1-800-222-5864
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