May 20, 2026

Facial vein blood collection

DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g7pq98gwz/v1
  • 1KU Leuven
Hanne HD Dhondt
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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g7pq98gwz/v1
Protocol Citation: Ana Catarina Carapinha Cascalho, Nina Schoonvliet, Aisha Sati 2026. Facial vein blood collection. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g7pq98gwz/v1
License: This is an open access  protocol  distributed under the terms of the  Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: January 13, 2024
Last Modified: May 26, 2026
Protocol  Integer ID: 96555
Keywords: facial vein blood collection this protocol, blood collection via the facial vein, facial vein blood collection, facial vein, blood collection, protocol detail, protocol
Funders Acknowledgements:
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's
Grant ID: ASAP-024297
Abstract
This protocol details the blood collection via the facial vein.
Attachments
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Bloodcollection prot...
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Guidelines
Adapted from SOP Virginia Tech: Mouse Blood Collection from Submandibullar Vein (Cheek Punch)
Materials
  • EDTA coated blood collection tube (Sarstedt; 20.1288)
  • Protein low binding tubes (Thermo Scientific; 90410)
  • Ice container
  • Lancet (Goldenrod; GR-4MM)
1. 4mm for < 2 mo mice
2. 5mm to 5.5mm for > 2 mo mice
  • Gauze pads
  • Micropipette and filtered tips (100ul)
  • Centrifuge
Facial Vein Collection

Note
Anesthesia: This method can be performed without anesthesia, but does require training to perfect technique.
Properly restrain the animal with one hand, which will apply adequate pressure to the maxillary vein.
Visualize landmarks

  • Albino mice have a convenient landmark in the area of the maxillary vein. Often viewed as a small bald spot or hair whorl, you can find this along the curvature of the mandible; the vein is just below this mark in the groove past the jawbone. Darker mice have the same spot but it may be more difficult to see.
  • You can also align a lancet caudal to the angle of the mandible, extending to the ear. Location of the puncture site is at the midway point of the lancet.


Using the point of the lancet (Goldenrod; GR-4MM), apply firm pressure at the point, caudal to the eye and ventral to the ear, where the submandibular vein is located, then release until blood flows.
Note
CAUTION: hold needle or lancet perpendicular to the bleed site to avoid puncturing the ear canal.

Quickly place the EDTA coated blood collection tube (Sarstedt; 20.1288) below the puncture site until desired volume of blood is collected. Put the collected blood On ice

Apply gentle pressure with gauze until bleeding has stopped.
Dispose of the needle/lancet into the approved sharps container.
Plasma separation
15m
Remove the cells from plasma by centrifugation for 2000 x g, 4°C, 00:15:00 . The resulting supernatant is designated plasma.

15m
Immediately transfer the plasma into a clean polypropylene low-protein binding tube using a micropipette.
The samples should be maintained at 2 °C –8 °C while handling.

If the plasma is not analysed immediately, it should be apportioned into 0.5 mL aliquots, stored, and transported at -80 °C or lower.

Note