What additive is present in a tiger top or speckled tube?

In a tiger top or speckled tube, silica is the additive that plays a crucial role in the coagulation process. Silica acts as a clot activator, promoting the clotting of blood samples collected in these tubes. This is particularly important for tests that require serum, as the activated clotting process allows for quicker separation of the serum from the cellular components of the blood after centrifugation.

While other additives such as sodium citrate, lithium heparin, and thixotropic gel are used in different types of tubes for various testing purposes, they do not apply to the tiger top or speckled tube. Sodium citrate is commonly used in light blue top tubes primarily for coagulation studies, lithium heparin is found in green top tubes for plasma tests, and thixotropic gel serves as a separator in some serum tubes but does not activate clotting itself. Thus, the presence of silica in a tiger top or speckled tube is essential for ensuring the effective collection and preparation of serum for testing.