Platelet and Leukocyte Concentration in Equine Autologous Conditioned Plasma Are Inversely Distributed by Layer and Are Not Affected by Centrifugation Rate.
Authors: Radtke Alexandra V, Goodale Margaret B, Fortier Lisa A
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Optimising Equine PRP Preparation for Consistent Clinical Results Autologous conditioned plasma has become a cornerstone of equine regenerative medicine, yet preparation protocols vary significantly between practitioners, leading to unpredictable concentrations of the therapeutic cells—platelets and leukocytes—in the final product. Radtke and colleagues investigated how centrifugation parameters affected cellular composition in leukocyte-reduced PRP (P-PRP) by collecting blood from five horses and preparing samples at three different centrifugation speeds (188–350 × g), with and without braking, then analysing platelet and leukocyte concentrations across three distinct layers of the separated plasma. Their findings revealed a striking inverse distribution: leukocytes concentrated significantly in the bottom layer whilst platelet concentration remained relatively stable across top and middle layers, with centrifugation speed itself proving irrelevant to cellular composition (no effect at p = 0.1–0.6). Importantly, braking during centrifugation increased leukocyte contamination in the top and middle layers, suggesting a mechanical rather than speed-dependent mechanism. For practitioners using the double-syringe protocol, the practical takeaway is straightforward—excluding the bottom third of the separated plasma substantially reduces unwanted leukocyte infiltration whilst preserving therapeutic platelet concentrations, offering a simple modification that standardises product quality without requiring expensive equipment or protocol changes.
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Practical Takeaways
- •When preparing autologous conditioned plasma for injection, discard the bottom third of the plasma layer to reduce unwanted leukocytes and optimize the therapeutic product
- •Centrifugation speed between 1,100–1,500 rpm produces equivalent results, so your existing centrifuge settings do not need adjustment
- •Standardizing PRP preparation by layer selection—rather than varying centrifugation parameters—provides a simple, cost-effective way to improve consistency and quality of regenerative medicine treatments
Key Findings
- •Leukocyte concentration was significantly higher in the bottom third of PRP compared to top and middle layers (p < 0.0001)
- •Platelet concentration was slightly lower in the bottom layer than the middle layer (p = 0.02)
- •Centrifugation rate (1,100–1,500 rpm) had no effect on cellular composition of PRP (p = 0.1–0.6)
- •Excluding the bottom third of PRP optimizes leukocyte-reduced PRP preparation in single-spin, double-syringe protocols