Sample processing and methodological pitfalls in multiple myeloma research.

In this paper, initial processing of biological material, cell separation algorithms and other procedures are discussed. For samples with initial infiltration of plasma cells > 5%, CD138 MicroBeads and Auto-Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting program are used. Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting is used exclusively for cell populations with low-abundance; these samples are detected using fluorescently labeled antibodies only. Isolated plasma cells are further processed for molecular biological studies, for cytogenetics and protein analyses. Furthermore, this work examines the pitfalls of research related to multiple myeloma; some of them we have overcome, while the others are still problematic.