What are the Various Kinds of Clinical Centrifuges?

Andrew Williams
Posted by Andrew Williams October 28, 2022

Clinical centrifuges are used in laboratories to separate fluids based on their density. In most research and clinical laboratories, they are used for organelle, cell, virus, nucleic acid, and  protein purification. Typically, the separation of whole blood components is carried out using clinical centrifuges.

Since most diagnostic centers perform routine separation activities, it’s normal to find clinical centrifuges there. Aside from using clinical centrifuges to extract sediments from urine, they are also used to separate blood components such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma.

In some instances, clinical centrifuges are also used when separating DNA fragments and other cell components. In the same manner, it is also used to separate lipoproteins to determine their measurements. They come with certain functions and features that are designed for medical use. They are also low-speed.

Different Types of Clinical Centrifuges

Below are some of the most common centrifuges used in most clinics and laboratories:

  • High-speed centrifuges. Among the different kinds of centrifuges, high-speed ones are designed with a high G-force. This is done to ensure they can effectively separate minute molecular compounds including cellular debris, proteins, larger cell organelles, and microorganisms. High-speed centrifuges also come in various sizes and capacities to cater to different user requirements.
  • Micro centrifuges. Micro centrifuges are very compact and as such, they take up only very little space. Typically, they are used for molecular applications. Micro centrifuges come with various rotors and rotor adaptors. This is important so they can easily accommodate tubes of different sizes.
  • Refrigerated centrifuges. Refrigerated centrifuges are usually the centrifuge of choice when working on samples that require the maintenance of a consistent temperature. Most refrigerated centrifuges have a temperature range of -20 and +40 degrees Celsius. They are considered the best option when analyzing DNA, antibodies, PCR, and RNA.