| abstract |
A multipurpose reagent system for rapid analysis of a whole blood sample allowing the determination of at least five classes of peripheral white blood cells, nucleated red blood cells, and lymphocyte immunophenotyping on automated hematology instrumentation. The multipurpose reagent system lyses red cells rapidly, while it concurrently fixes white cells and preserves surface antigens on lymphocytes. The multipurpose reagent system comprises from about 3 to 7 grams per liter of a non-quaternary ammonium salt, from about 0.04 to about 0.10 percent by volume of an aliphatic aldehyde with one to four carbons, from about 10 mM to about 20 mM of a non-phosphate buffer which is inert to the aliphatic aldehyde, and a sufficient amount of water to give a pH between 5.5 and 7.5 and an osmolality of between about 160 to about 310 mOsm per liter. |