buffy coat
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Introduction
The buffy coat is the red-gray layer between red blood cells & plasma after centrifugation of whole blood. With proper technique it may be aspirated to yield a largely leukocytes & platelets.
Clinical significance
- helpful for detection of certain blood parasites:
- Leishmania donovani
- trypanosomes
- microfilariae
- source of granulocytes from whole blood
- source of totipotential stem cells for autologous & allogeneic bone marrow transplant
References
- ↑ Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods, 19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA. 1996, pg 554, 810, 837, 1254