Multichannel pipettes are now widely used within Life Science Research due to the increase in microtitre plate based technologies such as serological testing, molecular biology, immunology assays, High Throughput Screening (HTS) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The expansions of the drug discovery market and ventures such as the Human Genome Project have also expanded the use of microtitre plates. Demands on scientists to produce valuable research, publish papers and justify funding and spending are high. The pressure to increase productivity is ever growing, while the demands to maintain experimental accuracy and reduce the risks of personal injuries to scientists still remain a priority. These pressures demand reliable, easy to use laboratory equipment that can improve efficiency and has heightened the demand for ergonomic, highly accurate and precise multichannel pipettes
Multichannel pipettes have been available for many years but have been notoriously difficult to use. Difficulties in tip loading, inconsistent sample loading and heavy tip ejection forces cause frustration. Such problems have restricted their use particularly for 12-channel pipettes. Developments have been made to overcome these issues opening up the use of multichannel pipettes as user friendly, proficient productivity improvers.
Most experimental work starts in individual tubes for which single channel pipettes are ideal. Once protocols have been established the next step is to scale up the research and run larger scale pilot experiments or assay runs, often performed in 96 well microtitre plates. Utilising single channel pipettes at this stage can be extremely time consuming and highly repetitive.
How many pipetting steps?
Have you ever thought about how many pipetting steps it takes to set up a 96 well PCR plate? For example, using a manual single channel pipette it can take as many as 672 individual steps (7 reagents x 96 wells). This amount of pipetting, even with an ergonomically designed single channel pipette can cause hand fatigue and increased risk of RSI, even with correct pipetting technique. If your hands are tired, errors can be introduced that could have detrimental effects on accuracy and precision. This may result in the need to run the plate again, not only wasting valuable reagents but also decreasing productivity and so reducing the advantages of using the 96 well plates in the first place.
Microtitre plates are the reason why multichannel pipettes were designed. A manual 8-channel pipette can fill an equivalent 96 well PCR plate in only 84 pipetting steps. A manual 12-channel pipette can further reduce this to only 56 pipetting steps. These reductions have a significant impact on time savings, reducing the risks of RSI, maintaining the accuracy of pipetting and improving laboratory productivity.
The number of pipetting steps can be dramatically reduced again by using an electronic 8 or 12-channel pipette which has a Multi-dispense, autopace function. With the RAININ EDP3 8 or 12-channel 1200µl pipette, when using a PCR master mix containing a hot start Taq polymerase, only one click to aspirate and one click to dispense is required to fill a 96 well PCR plate. The ultimate in productivity and RSI risk reduction.
Increase Productivity with Multichannel Pipettes
Electronic multichannel pipettes decrease the time taken to fill a 96 well plate, significantly increasing throughput. Tests were carried out using a RAININ Electronic EDP3 8-channel pipette, 1200µl in pipet mode and multi-dispense, autopace mode to fill a 96 well assay plate. The pipette filled the plate, on average, in 67 seconds for the Pipette mode and only 12.6 seconds in Multi-dispense (average time taken over 5 plates). An essential element of efficient multichannel pipetting is the tips used and their fit. Many pipettes on the market require excessive force to apply tips across all channels and/or time consuming manual adjustments before use. These requirements lead to inconsistent loading of the pipette tips, which is not desirable and can detrimentally effect productivity. Therefore care should be taken when choosing which tips to use with your multichannel pipette to ensure that the benefits of the pipette are not being hampered by ill fitting tips.
Which multichannel pipette? The RAININ Lite Touch Tip Ejection (LTS) range of Electronic and Manual multichannel pipettes are the perfect solution where productivity and RSI is a major concern. The pipettes load tips in as little as 2 seconds. Traditional multichannels can require up to 30 seconds. Researchers often resort to “rocking” the manifold over the tip rack, then hand-tightening each tip in an effort to secure a proper seal. These tedious methods can result in loss of productivity and possible contamination. Poorly fitting tips cause inconsistent loading. Samples and reagents are wasted, and in many cases, work must be re-done. With LTS, you can load tips quickly with confidence and reliability. Simultaneous tip ejection is easy, requiring just a light press of the tip ejection button.
This low force loading and ejection with a consistent seal is achieved by the unique LTS cylindrical shaft and tip design. A positive stop inside the LTS tip lets you know exactly when the seal is made. Rocking or hand tightening is never required. Samples load evenly first time, every time. Never before have multichannel pipettes been so easy to use!
The electronic pipettes provide a wide range of features such as:
• multi dispense • mix
• titrate
• standard pipetting
• 3000 pipetting cycles can be achieved in only one charge.
The perfect tips for multichannel pipetting
Anachem offers RAININ pipette tip packaging solutions that enhance the benefits of using multichannel pipettes.
• Flat, strong trays that don’t bend or flex providing even tip loading across all channels.
• Wide base with non-skid polymer feet that grip the bench, so no need to chase the racks around the bench or the risk of costly accidental tip-overs.
• StableStak is a tower system consisting of 5 double 96 layers stacked on top of each other.
• Widest tip volume range on the market from 0.1µl up to 1200µl.
• RNase, DNase and Pyrogen free
• Entire units may be autoclaved.
• Enclosed bottom and cover protect tips from contamination in use.
Contact Anachem on 01582 455135 or bioscience@anachem.co.uk to arrange a deomnstration of the Rainin LTS pipettes to see how you can increase your productivity while reducing your risk of RSI
No comments:
Post a Comment