Free DNA preservation solution: the mastermind behind non-invasive screening

In the early stages of life, every expectant parent yearns to know: Is the baby healthy? In the past, obtaining accurate answers often required invasive methods such as amniocentesis, which brought psychological pressure and intangible risks to pregnant women. Nowadays, with just one tube of pregnant woman's venous blood, it is possible to accurately screen for chromosomal diseases in the fetus - this is the revolutionary change brought about by non-invasive prenatal genetic testing.

Behind this change, there is an unknown but crucial 'guardian' - free DNA preservation solution. It is pre installed in a special blood collection tube, guarding the trace fetal code in the blood and providing protection for subsequent precise detection.

The 'fetal messenger' in maternal blood

In 1997, Professor Lu Yuming discovered the presence of free fetal DNA in the peripheral blood of pregnant women, which completely overturned the pattern of prenatal diagnosis. Originally, during pregnancy, placental trophoblast cells undergo normal apoptosis, releasing short DNA fragments into the maternal bloodstream. These fragments are like "miniature messengers" sent from the fetus, carrying all the genetic information of the fetus.

However, these messengers are extremely fragile and rare. In early pregnancy, fetal free DNA accounts for only 5% to 10% of the total free DNA in maternal plasma. What's even more concerning is that after the blood is separated from the body, the mother's white blood cells will gradually lyse, releasing a large amount of maternal genomic DNA, which quickly overwhelms these weak fetal signals like a surging tide. If there are no special protective measures, the sample will be "distorted" just a few hours after blood drawing, and cannot truly reflect the chromosomal status of the fetus.

Three major functions, precise protection

It is in this context that specialized blood collection tubes containing free DNA preservation solutions have emerged. It is not just an ordinary vacuum tube, but a "mobile laboratory" that integrates multiple technological contents. This preservation solution plays three key roles in non-invasive screening:

1. Stabilize blood cells and prevent interference. The preservation solution contains special cell metabolism inhibitors that can quickly penetrate into blood cells, "immobilizing" these nucleated cells from the source and preventing them from rupturing and releasing genomic DNA during transportation. This is like maintaining order in a noisy venue, ensuring that only the original weak signals can be heard, thereby ensuring the purity of the detection background.

2. Protect DNA and resist degradation. There are naturally occurring nucleases in the blood that can cleave free DNA like scissors. The anti nuclease components in the preservation solution can effectively inhibit the activity of these enzymes, like putting a layer of "protective clothing" on precious fetal DNA to protect them from degradation.

3. Transport at room temperature, breaking down barriers. Traditional testing often requires low-temperature cold chain transportation, which is costly and prone to chain breakage. High quality free DNA storage tubes can achieve stable storage at room temperature for up to 3 to 14 days, which means that pregnant women in remote areas can also enjoy testing services that are homogeneous with those in first tier cities.

From a tube of blood to a report

The role of free DNA preservation solution in non-invasive screening runs through the entire detection process, and every step cannot be separated from its protection:

1. Sample collection and transportation. When nurses use blood collection tubes containing preservation solution to extract blood from pregnant women, protection is immediately activated. The preservation solution quickly mixes into the blood, stabilizing cells and inhibiting nucleases. Subsequently, the sample can be sent to a testing center thousands of miles away at room temperature, without the need for cold chain and without fear of delay.

2. Plasma separation. After receiving the samples, the laboratory separates the plasma through gradient centrifugation. Thanks to the protection of the preservation solution, the original proportion of fetal free DNA is still maintained in the plasma at this time. Without this layer of protection, the separated plasma may have already been contaminated by maternal background DNA, and the test results would be meaningless.

3. Detection and analysis. Extract free DNA from plasma and perform sequencing and analysis. Clinical data shows that samples protected by high-quality preservation tubes have a detection sensitivity and specificity of over 99% for the three most common chromosomal aneuploid diseases - Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, and Patao syndrome.

Hubei Xindesheng Material Technology Co., Ltd. can supply high-quality DNA preservation solution to accurately assist in non-invasive screening production! If you have any purchasing needs in the near future, please feel free to contact me or click on the official website of Desheng to learn more details!