cf-DNA/cf-RNA Preservative Tube
Select each molecule to learn more about Norgen's unique tube and how it separates plasma from whole blood samples



cf-DNA/cf-RNA Preservative Tube
Norgen's cf-DNA/cf-RNA Preservative Tubes provide an easy method of cf-DNA, cf-RNA and CTC preservation from whole blood samples, while also minimizing hemolysis during shipping and storage. The tubes provide cf-DNA and cf-RNA preservation for 30 days at room temperature, and CTCs preservation for 14 days at room temperature, with no cold-chain transportation or storage required. Purified cf-DNA and cf-RNA are compatible with any downstream application, including PCR, qPCR, rt-qPCR, gene expression analysis, microarrays and Next-Generation Sequencing.

cf-DNA
Cell-free DNA consists of small fragments of DNA that are found circulating throughout the body, outside of cells. Cell-free DNA is typically introduced into the bloodstream via apoptosis or necrosis (cell death) and is usually present in very low concentrations in plasma. While DNA released from cells is quickly degraded by nucleases in the blood, certain fragments that are bound to proteins or encapsulated in extracellular vesicles are protected from degradation and persist in circulation. Cell-free DNA encompasses a variety of subspecies, including circulating fetal DNA, circulating tumor DNA, and more.
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Cell-free RNA
Cell-free RNA, similar to cell-free DNA, refers to RNA circulating throughout the body outside of cells. Cell-free RNA is typically introduced into the bloodstream during cell death or during the active secretion of extracellular vesicles (in particular exosomes). While RNA is usually degraded by nucleases in the bloodstream, fragments that are bound to proteins (i.e. ribosomes and other proteins) or encapsulated inside exosomes are protected from degradation and remain in circulation. Once purified, cell-free RNA can be analyzed and used as a biomarker for various diseases and conditions.
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Circulating Tumor DNA
Circulating tumour DNA, also known as ct-DNA, refers to circulating DNA fragments that are either passively released into the circulation by the apoptosis or the necrosis of tumour cells or actively secreted into the circulation by live tumor cells. By examining mutations within the ct-DNA, or its methylation profile, ct-DNA can act as a key biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer development.
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Exosomes
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles released from cells throughout the body. They are typically between 40-150nm in diameter and act as cellular "messengers", carrying their cargo of proteins, lipids, and cell-free nucleic acids throughout the bloodstream to recipient cells. Since exosomes are released from a variety of cell types, including tumor cells, analyzing their content can provide unique biomarkers for various diseases.
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Circulating Tumor Cells
Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are cells shed from a tumour into the circulatory system, and are often related to cancer metastasis. CTC analysis can provide important information about cancer prognosis and progression, and specific CTC tests are already clinically available. Norgen’s cf-DNA/cf-RNA preservative tubes stabilize CTCs for 14 days at room temperature for further downstream analysis.
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White Blood Cells
White blood cells, also called leukocytes, have an important role in the body’s immune defense. Like red blood cells, white blood cells can also burst during shipping and transport if not properly stabilized, releasing genomic DNA and RNA into the plasma. Norgen’s tubes ensure stabilization of white blood cells during transport and storage, and also allow for downstream recovery of leukocyte DNA and RNA.
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Red Blood Cells
Red blood cells are the most numerous type of blood cell, and give blood its characteristic red colour. If red blood cells undergo hemolysis (burst) during shipping and storage, they will release their content into the plasma or serum, causing issues with the downstream analysis of cell-free DNA and cell-free RNA analysis. Norgen’s preservation tubes provide best-in-class prevention of hemolysis during shipping and storage to ensure successful downstream purification and analysis of cell-free DNA and cell-free RNA.
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Features & Benefits
- Unique chemistry that preserves and stabilizes both cf-DNA and cf-RNA in a single tube
- Stabilize cf-DNA/ct-DNA/cf-RNA for 30 days and CTCs for 14 days at ambient temperature
- Stabilize cf-DNA/ct-DNA for 8 days at 37°C
- Fixative-free preservative - no cross-linking of DNA preventing bias in data analysis
- No plasma loss during transport
- Prevent hemolysis allowing highest quality plasma with no genomic DNA contamination
- Vacuumed PET (plastic) tubes to avoid breakage during shipping and transportation
- Minimize costs with full transcriptomic and genomic profiling from one tube
- High quality cf-DNA, ct-DNA, cf-RNA and exosomal RNA, compatible with a variety of downstream applications