What is the characteristic of thixotropic gel in the SST red and gray marbled-topped vacutainer tube?

The characteristic of thixotropic gel in the SST red and gray marbled-topped vacutainer tube is that it is less dense than red blood cells but more dense than serum. Thixotropic gel is designed to form a barrier between the serum and the cellular components of blood after centrifugation. This gel remains in a liquid state while the tube is at rest but becomes more viscous when agitated during centrifugation. Its position in the tube allows it to separate the serum from the cells, facilitating easy access to the serum layer during specimen collection for laboratory analysis.

Understanding the density relationship is crucial for medical assistants working with blood samples. The thixotropic gel's proper placement ensures that serum can be easily harvested for testing while maintaining the integrity of the sample, thereby providing accurate test results.