Blood separating device

1. A method for separating whole blood into different components comprising:

inserting whole blood into a rotatable chamber of a blood separation device having an axis of rotation, an inner wall surface, and a plurality of movable buoys between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface;

rotating the chamber for a sufficient period of time such that components of the whole blood separate according to density; and

stopping rotation of the chamber such that the plurality of buoys move from an expanded position in which the buoys are distal to the axis of rotation to a contracted position in which the buoys are proximal to the axis of rotation to isolate red blood cells of the blood between the buoys and the inner wall surface, to isolate platelet poor plasma between the buoys and the axis of rotation, and to isolate platelet rich plasma at a common distance from the axis of rotation as the buoys.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the buoys radially along an angled floor between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface; wherein the floor is inclined from the axis of rotation to the inner wall surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the platelet rich plasma in troughs formed in the buoys; and

further comprising collecting the platelet rich plasma in the troughs in a collection bowl at the axis of rotation using fluid lines that extend between the troughs and the collection bowl.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the platelet poor plasma in a collection basin attached to a bottom surface of the chamber; and regulating passage of the platelet poor plasma between the collection basin and the chamber with a valve.

5. A method for separating bone marrow aspirate into different components comprising:

inserting bone marrow aspirate into a rotatable chamber of a bone marrow separation device having an axis of rotation, an inner wall surface, and a plurality of movable buoys between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface;

rotating the chamber for a sufficient period of time such that components of the bone marrow aspirate separate according to density; and

stopping rotation of the chamber such that the plurality of buoys move from an expanded position in which the buoys are distal to the axis of rotation to a contracted position in which the buoys are proximal to the axis of rotation to isolate red blood cells of the bone marrow aspirate between the buoys and the inner wall surface, to isolate bone marrow plasma between the buoys and the axis of rotation, and to isolate multipotent cells at a common distance from the axis of rotation as the buoys.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising moving the buoys radially along an angled floor between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface; wherein the floor is inclined from the axis of rotation to the inner wall surface.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising collecting the multipotent cells in troughs formed in the buoys; and

further comprising collecting the multipotent cells in the troughs in a collection bowl at the axis of rotation using fluid lines that extend between the troughs and the collection bowl.

8. A method for separating components of a multi-component biological mixture comprising:

inserting the mixture into a rotatable chamber of a separation device including an axis of rotation, an inner wall surface, and a plurality of movable buoys between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface;

rotating the chamber for a sufficient period of time such that components of the mixture separate according to density; and

stopping rotation of the chamber such that the plurality of buoys move from an expanded position in which the buoys are distal to the axis of rotation to a contracted position in which the buoys are proximal to the axis of rotation to isolate a first component of the mixture between the buoys and the inner wall surface, to isolate a second component of the mixture between the buoys and the axis of rotation, and to isolate a third component of the mixture at a common distance from the axis of rotation as the buoys.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising rotating the chamber by placing the chamber on a modular, rotating base.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein prior to rotating the chamber the buoys are in the expanded position.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the buoys are supported in the expanded position by support arms.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that the buoys move radially along an angled floor of the chamber that is between the inner wall surface and the axis of rotation;

wherein the floor is inclined from the axis of rotation to the inner wall surface to form a concave angled floor.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that the buoys move along guide tracks at the angled floor.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the floor is inclined at an angle in the range of about 15° to about 45°.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the floor is inclined at about 25°.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that the buoys contact stop posts when in the contracted position.

17. The method of claim 8 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that side tabs of opposing buoys contact each other when in the contracted position.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein inserting the multi-component biological mixture includes inserting bone marrow aspirate; and

wherein the first component includes red blood cells, the second component includes bone marrow plasma, and the third component includes multipotent cells.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the buoys have a density of about 1.08 g/cc to about 1.11 g/cc.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising loading bone marrow aspirate into the rotatable chamber through cover ports in a cover of the rotatable chamber.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that multipotent cells are isolated in pockets defined by opposing sidewalls of neighboring buoys when the buoys are in the contracted position.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising extracting the multipotent cells from the pockets through withdrawal ports located within the pockets.

23. The method of claim 18 , further comprising collecting the multipotent cells in troughs formed in the buoys; and

further comprising extracting the multipotent cells collected in the troughs into a collection bowl at the axis of rotation using fluid lines that provide communication between the troughs and the collection bowl.

24. The method of claim 18 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that bone marrow plasma is isolated in at least one of a pocket defined by opposing sidewalls of neighboring buoys when the buoys are in the contracted position, and an area of the chamber between the axis of rotation and the buoys.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising extracting the bone marrow plasma through a center port proximate to the axis of rotation.

26. The method of claim 18 , further comprising collecting the bone marrow plasma in a collection basin attached to an undersurface of the chamber; and regulating passage of the bone marrow plasma between the collection basin and the chamber with a valve at a passageway that provides communication between the chamber and the collection basin.

27. The method of claim 18 , further comprising extracting at least one of the red blood cells, the bone marrow plasma, and the multipotent cells from the chamber with a syringe.

28. The method of claim 8 , wherein inserting the multi-component biological mixture includes inserting whole blood; and

wherein the first component includes red blood cells, the second component includes platelet poor plasma, and the third component includes platelet rich plasma.

29. A method for separating bone marrow aspirate into different components comprising:

inserting the bone marrow aspirate mixture into a rotatable chamber of a separation device including an axis of rotation, an inner wall surface, and a plurality of buoys movable between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface, the buoys are movable from an expanded position in which the buoys are distal to the axis of rotation to a contracted position in which the buoys are proximal to the axis of rotation, the bone marrow aspirate mixture is inserted with the buoys in the expanded position;

rotating the chamber with a rotating base for a sufficient period of time such that components of the mixture separate according to density; and

stopping rotation of the chamber such that the plurality of buoys move radially along an angled floor of the chamber that is between the axis of rotation and the inner wall surface, the floor is inclined from the axis of rotation to the inner wall surface, the buoys move radially from the expanded position to the contracted position in order to:

isolate red blood cells of the mixture between the buoys and the inner wall surface;

isolate bone marrow plasma between the buoys and the axis of rotation; and

isolate multipotent cells at a common distance from the axis of rotation as the buoys.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein prior to rotating the chamber the buoys are supported in the expanded position with support arms.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the floor is inclined at an angle of about 25°.

32. The method of claim 29 , wherein the buoys have a density of about 1.08 g/cc to about 1.11 g/cc.

33. The method of claim 29 , further comprising stopping rotation of the chamber such that the multipotent cells are isolated in pockets defined by opposing sidewalls of neighboring buoys when the buoys are in the contracted position.

34. The method of claim 29 , further comprising collecting the multipotent cells in troughs formed in the buoys and extracting the multipotent cells collected in the troughs into a collection bowl at the axis of rotation using fluid lines that provide communication between the troughs and the collection bowl.

35. The method of claim 29 , further comprising extracting the bone marrow plasma through a center port proximate to the axis of rotation.

36. The method of claim 35 , further comprising collecting the bone marrow plasma in a collection basin attached to an undersurface of the chamber; and regulating passage of the bone marrow plasma between the collection basin and the chamber with a valve at a passageway that provides communication between the chamber and the collection basin.