Aspirate the supernatant from the centrifuge tube leaving 5 mL of fluid for every 0.5 mL of pellet.
- Aspirate from the center of the water column.
- Aspirate at the air/liquid interface not below the water surface, maintaining an air suction sound.
- Aspirate gently and steadily with a low vacuum pressure (<5 in. Hg vacuum).
- Lower the vacuum pressure when 30 mL remains.
- Use standard Pasteur pipettes with inner diameter of 0.8 - 1.2 mm.
- Record the volume of fluid left in the tube (≥5 mL).
View the videos demonstrating correct and incorrect aspiration; listen to the difference.