From owner-diagnostics@net.bio.net Wed Apr 12 23:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!sasa.gov.uk!burns From: burns@sasa.gov.uk (Robert Burns) Newsgroups: bionet.diagnostics Subject: blood collection devices for PCR Date: 13 Apr 1995 06:49:50 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 35 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Hi, Doug Rhodes enquired about collection devices for small quantities of blood for use in PCR. I don't know of any small volume vacutainer type devices but this little trick might help. Before taking sample place a layer of vaseline or some other hydrophobic grease on the skin at the sample site. punture the skin through the grease and a small bead of blood will be produced. This should have had no contact with the skin due to the grease and can be easily removed using a capillary tube (approx 200ul). Don't know if this will work but it is cheap and easy and might be worth a try. BTW there is also a plastic film material called opsite which surgeons use to prevent skin contamination of wounds. Apply to skin and either cut or inject through it. Hope this helps Robert Robert Burns Monoclonal Antibody Unit Scottish Agricultural Science Agency East Craigs Edinburgh Scotland burns@sasa.gov.uk .