Which blood collection tube typically contains gel for serum separation?

The gold top tube is specifically designed for serum separation due to the presence of a gel additive that facilitates the separation of serum from blood cells after centrifugation. This gel forms a barrier between the serum and the cellular components, making it easier to collect the serum without disturbing the cells. This feature is particularly useful in various laboratory tests where serum analysis is required, such as in chemistry panels.

In contrast, tubes like the yellow top typically contain liquid waste or culture media, the red top tube usually does not have any additives or gel, and the light blue top tube contains sodium citrate, which is primarily used for coagulation testing and does not feature a gel separator. Thus, the gold top tube is the correct choice for separating serum in blood collection.