Blood specimen banking for biomarker - Storing blood specimen for future use (Apr/21/2010 )

Hello
I am a microbiologist. I am trying to find a method to store neonatal blood specimens for at least three years. My objective is to preserve the proteins (both stable and unstable) and nucleic acids (both bacterial and viral RNA and DNA) in blood without compromising their concentrations and conformations. I have gone through a lot of literture regarding blood cryopreservation. They are mostly focused to resuscitation of the cells. I do not care if the cells are live or dead. I just need all the cells, cell surface proteins, soluble proteins and nucleic acids to be in shape. Hope some of you can help me.
Irfan

If you don't mind having a mush at the end - just snap freeze whole blood in liquid nitrogen. Otherwise you could fractionate it into the cellular components and serum/plasma and snap freeze each of these.

thanks Bob.
that's what i would love to do. the problem is, I need published reference for the method to pick. can you help me with that?
i have drawn my own blood in citrate tube and zap freezed the tube in liquid nitrogen. i have kept the tubes in -80C. it has been a week.
Irfan

Sorry, I don't have any references for that sort of thing. I don't work with blood at all. For fractionation, try looking for protocols for buffy coats and platelet isolation.

hi Bob
I have the protocols for fractionation. Thank you for the help. will keep in touch. will share the updates with you.
Irfan