What are assay plates used for in biology?
Another key application of assay plates in biological research and diagnostic testing is the analysis of proteins. The main purpose of a protein assay is to examine the protein content of a sample, determining its quantity and concentration.
What are the different glass bottom assay plate options?
When it comes to selecting assay plates, you usually have a choice of clear, opaque and transparent. The most important thing to consider before choosing between the different glass bottom assay plate options is their reflective property.
What are 96 well assay plates used for?
Modern day high-throughput applications commonly use 96 well assay plates (8 x 12) as their preferred compound library screening format. Capable of measuring cell proliferation, binding interactions, enzyme activity and more, these assay plates are a favourite for a range of heterogeneous and homogeneous assays.
What is a primary plate used for in microbiology?
The primary plate was used to replica plate onto minimal medium (MSA) supplemented with a single carbon source: acetamide (B), lactose (C), and glycine (D). The last plate in the series was a positive control YTA plate (E).
What are assay plates?
Assay plates are flat cell culture plates consisting of multiple 'wells' which can be used as small test tubes. This type of sterile microplate is considered a standard tool in both scientific research facilities and laboratories for clinical diagnostic tests.
What is a microwell plate used for?
The microplate is designed to measure absorbance in small volumes. It is typically used to determine the concentration of nucleic acids and proteins.
What are TC treated plates?
Cell and Tissue Culture Treated Plates have an ideal surface which enables most adherent cells to grow healthily and reproducibly. The Cell and Tissue Culture Plates (also generically called TC plates) offer optimal, uniform and compatible surface support for animal cell attachment and growth.
What is the use of 24 well plate in laboratory?
AcroPrep 24-well filter plates with Omega membrane can be used for ultrafiltration applications including desalting, diafiltration, concentration or fractionation of protein and nucleic acid samples.
What is well plate used for?
Well plates are used in virology, serology, microbiology and a myriad of other life science and drug discovery laboratories. The microplate is a simple, relatively low-tech, cost-effective, humble and unassuming tool found in labs across the world.
What are multiwell plates?
A microplate, also known as a microtiter plate (Microtiter is a registered trademark in the United States, therefore it should not be used generically without attribution), microwell plate or multiwell, is a flat plate with multiple "wells" used as small test tubes.
What are cell culture plates made of?
Cell culture dishes are typically made of borosilicate glass or clear plastics (usually polystyrene or polycarbonate), which allow distortion-free microscopic observation. They are often supplied with lids that provide consistent gas exchange while offering protection from the environment.
What are cell culture plates coated with?
Coatings include collagen, fibronectin, and poly-D-lysine. Pre-coated products offer a great advantage to researchers. There is no lengthy coating process, plates are coated by a consistent process and they are always available when needed.
What is TC surface?
"Cell culture-treated" usually refers to the process by which otherwise hydrophobic polystyrene surfaces are made to become hydrophilic, usually by increasing negative charge through a chemical means.
What is a 96-well plate used for?
96-well microplates are used for antibiotic screens, cell-based assays and screening compounds. The flat bottom shape is ideal for microscopic and optical measurements. Our plates are high quality for consistent and reliable results.
Why do we use 96-well plates?
Transparent 96-Well Plates are more widely used, while Black 96-Well Plates are used when there is a specific need to minimize background in fluorescence reading. On the contrary, White 96-Well Plates are used to give maximum reflection and to minimize autofluorescence and autoluminescence.
What is reaction plate?
Reaction plates are clear polystyrene plates that make sample identification easy as each plate is organized into marked rows of wells. The plates are stackable, easy to clean and come in four well amounts.
What is streptavidin coated plate?
Streptavidin-coated plates are often used to create generic plates for solid-phase (coated plate) assays, such as ELISA assays, DELFIA® immunoassays, and FlashPlate® assays. Streptavidin will bind biotinylated antibodies, biotinylated proteins, and other biotinylated moieties, anchoring the biotinylated reagent to the well of the plate.
Why is polystyrene not suitable for cell attachment?
Untreated polystyrene surfaces are not suitable for cell attachment due to the surface chemistry of the polystyrene. The tissue culture treatment process involves exposing a polystyrene microplate to a plasma gas in order to modify the hydrophobic plastic surface to make it more hydrophilic.
What is the most abundant protein in mammals?
Extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen provide an attachment framework for the adhesion and growth of certain cell types in vivo, and can also be used for cell attachment to plate surfaces in vitro. Cellular fibronectin membrane proteins mediate the attachment of cells to collagen substrates. Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals that is found throughout the body and is a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The most frequently used types of collagen for coating are collagen I and IV. Collagen type I is suitable for endothelial and epithelial cells, muscle cells and hepatocytes. Collagen type IV is the major constituent of basement membranes and offers more physiologically relevant conditions to cells as well as improving the adherence of specific cell types i.e. PC-12 (rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cell line). Our catalog plates are coated with rat tail collagen Type I.
What is poly lysine?
Poly-lysine is a synthetic positively-charged polymer, existing as two enantiomers: Poly-D-lysine (PDL) and Poly-L-lysine (PLL). Adherence of certain cell types to poly-lysine-coated surfaces is based on the electrostatic interaction of the poly-D-lysine polycation with the negative charges of the cell membrane. Use of poly-lysine coatings on plate surfaces can help mediate the negative charges of the cell membrane and the negative charge of the surface. Both PDL and PLL are commonly used however PDL is not degraded by cellular proteases and is therefore often the preferred choice. As Poly-lysine is a synthetic protein, it does not influence the signaling pathways of the cells and is completely free of any animal contaminants. Almost all cell types will adhere to Poly-lysine coated plate bottoms.
Can small molecules be coated?
Proteins and small molecules can be coated either passively or covalently to the plate. Passive coating creates a weaker association, compared to covalent coating (which creates a chemical bond between the streptavidin and the plate).
What is a microplate?
The microplate is probably the most underrated piece of equipment by scientists running microplate-based detection assays. It is usually considered as a passive support or container of the liquid that has to be measured.
Why are microplates black?
Black microplates partially quench the signal of the sample. This happens because the black colour partially absorbs the light signal coming from the liquid.
What is the drawback of using white microplates?
The drawback is that white microplates will also increase the blank signal. However, this is usually quite low in luminescent assays. In TRF, the delayed measurement window eliminates the influence of the background. An in-between solution between black and white are grey microplates.
Can you use microplates for cell based assays?
Dedicated microplates for cell-based assays. When running bioassays or cell-based assays, detecting from the bottom of the well is usually recommended for several reasons. This obviously cannot be done in standard white or black plates. Microplates with a clear bottom have to be used. Depending on the assay the walls of ...
Can you use black microplates for TRF?
Because of these very reasons, black microplates are generally not recommended for luminescent and TRF assays, as these usually have a low signal yield that would be further quenched by the black microplate. For these assays white plates a recommended.
Do all microtiter plates have the same footprint?
Although there are small differences in size and well position for different plate types and manufacturers, all microtiter plates come with the same footprint dimensions . These were defined by the SLAS (Society for Lab Automation and Screening), former SBS (Society for Biomolecular Screening).
Can you pipette a 384 well microplate?
Generally, the drawback of higher density microplates is that 1536- and 3456-well formats cannot be pipetted by hand, a pipetting machine is needed. For 384-well microplates manual pipetting is still doable but quite tedious and usually not recommended.
The decision-making process
The first step in the decision-making process is the selection of the microplate material and color required for running the tests. The options for the material are polystyrene, polypropylene, cyclo-olefins, vinyl, and UV transparent materials.
Conclusion
As can be expected, the decision-making process for choosing the right microplate for an assay is a complex one. There are a host of parameters to be accounted for, and it is common for researchers to realize that the biochemical reactions did not produce the desired results because the testing equipment was not used properly.
Sources
Corning (2015), Corning and Falcon micro-plates selection guide, https://www.news-medical.net/health/Is-Red-Wine-Good-for-the-Body.aspx
What is coated plate assay?
Coated-plate assays use wash steps to separate bound (associating) and unbound (non-associating) reagents from the well of the plate.
What is the substrate used in colorimetric assays?
Many colorimetric assays utilize a "chromogenic" (color-producing) substrate that, when converted into its final product, will absorb light at a specific wavelength.
How long does it take to complete a tissue culture assay?
In some assays the cells are added to the microplate and the assay is completed within a few minutes to a few hours.
What is a microplate?
Microplates for standard, in vitro absorbance/colorimetric assays that do not require anchoring of cells or other reagents to the surface of the plate. SpectraPlate plates are completely transparent. The clear-bottom base allows for top-read or bottom-read measurements.
Why are clear bottom plates important?
Microplates with clear bottoms can be useful for cell based assays as they allow the microscopic visualization of the cells to monitor confluency, morphology and other parameters that may affect the cellular response in the assay. In addition, assays that are configured for bottom reading require clear bottom plates.
How many times to wash a plate with buffer?
Select a temperature that will help maintain stability of the antibody, protein, or sample being coated. Plate is washed three times with buffer (for example, 1X PBS). Plate is "blocked" overnight to cover the well surface area that remains (typically using BSA, sugars such as trehalose or casein, serum, etc.)
What is crosstalk in microplates?
Cross-talk occurs when absorption from a neighboring well interferes with the measurement of the well-of-interest, and can sometimes be problematic in higher plate density formats (384-well, 1536-well). The use of clear-bottom plates that have white well walls (such as IsoPlate™ and ViewPlate® microplates) can be helpful when cross-talk is an issue.
What is the best plate for cell based assay?
If samples are analyzed via absorbance as well as fluorescence or if samples are viewed under the microscope as is often required for cell-based assays, black plates in combination with a transparent bottom are a suitable option.
What is an assay?
An Assay may mean determining the concentrations of molecules (such as nucleic acids and proteins) in solution or the number of cells in a culture of microorganisms (OD 600 ), but it can also refer to the measurement of enzyme activity.
Why are microtiter plates opaque?
For this reason, opaque, pigmented microtiter plates effectively prevent the transfer of signals from one well to another (known as “crosstalk”). Often, black plates are used for this type of assay as they absorb light and thus reduce background.
Which shape of fluorescence plate is best for fluorescence?
In general, all bottom shapes are suitable for fluorescence and luminescence applications: U- and V-bottom shapes focus the light better, which may increase intensity. Flat-bottom plates are used for all cell-based assays that require adherent cells to adhere to the bottom of the well.
What is a Vis plate?
Since these plates are thus mainly suitable for assays that are carried out with light in the visible range, they are also known as “Vis-plates.”.
How is streak plate used to isolate bacteria?
The streak-plate procedure is designed to isolate pure cultures of bacteria, or colonies, from mixed populations by simple mechanical separation. Single colonies are comprised of millions of cells growing in a cluster on or within an agar plate ( Figure 1 ). A colony, unlike a single cell, is visible to the naked eye. In theory, all the cells in a colony are derived from a single bacterium initially deposited on the plate and thus are referred to as a clone, or cluster of genetically identical cells.
What is the plating method used for?
Five different procedures were described in this protocol. Although these plating techniques are routinely used to manipulate bacteria and phage, they also can be applied to mammalian cell culture and eukaryotic microorganisms commonly used in molecular genetics such as yeast (i.e., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Schizosaccharomyces pombe ), algae and protozoa (i.e., Volvox, Chlamydomonas, Amoeba, Paramecium ), and nematodes (i.e., Caenorhabditis elegans ). There also are numerous (and even more sophisticated) variations of each plating method depending on the experimental goal or organism under study. Thus, it is important to not only select the most appropriate technique for a given experiment or target microorganism but also to tailor the methodology such that the experimental outcomes suitably address the research question or problem.
How to spread agar plate?
Method A: Spread-plating with a turntable and glass or metal rod. Label around the edge of the bottom (not the lid) of an agar plate with at least your name, the date, the type of growth medium, and the type of organism to be plated on the medium. Include the dilution factor if plating serial dilutions.
What happens to a plaque after multiple cycles of infection?
After multiple cycles of infection and lysis, the cloudy bacterial cell suspension in the soft agar disappears, leaving a zone of clearing called a plaque. Each plaque contains more than 10 9 phage particles, all genetically identical to the original infectious phage particle.
How to spread agar samples evenly?
Control the flow of the sample so it does not splash out of the plate. Spread the sample by gently shaking the beads across the surface of the agar 6 to 7 times. To ensure cells spread evenly, use a horizontal shaking motion. Do not swirl the beads or else all the cells will end up at the plate edge.
How long to sterilize beads in autoclave?
Sterilize them in glass bottles or test tubes in the autoclave at 121 °C on the dry cycle (gravity setting) for 30 minutes.
Where to label agar plate?
Label around the edge of the bottom (not the lid) of an agar plate with at least your name, the date, the type of growth medium, and the type of organism to be plated on the medium.
Understand your options
Our microplates come in a variety of formats, colors, and well designs. The information below can help you understand which type of plate is best for your applications.
Well shape
Flat bottom (F-well) —Allows maximum transmission of light. These plates can be read on a monochromatic reader.
Abstract
Black or white, clear- or opaque-bottomed, there is a wide selection of multi-well plates available. This article briefly explains the differences so you can choose the plates that best fit your assay needs.
Introduction
Opaque-walled 96- or 384-well tissue culture plates are available as white or black with solid bottoms and white or black with clear bottoms. The clear bottom plates offer the advantage of being able to examine the cells by microscopy during the course of the experiment.
Primary Differences
The primary difference between white and black plates is their reflective properties.
Plate Suggestions
If you are looking for specific plates to use, suggestions for 96-well plates are listed below:
Why are the chemicals used for water treatment important?
Nowadays, the demand for potable water is constantly increasing, due to meeting human needs and supporting industrial activities. With increasing urbanization and economic development, the current water supply is unlikely to meet the ever-increasing demands.
The chemicals used in water treatment are
In addition to the chemicals mentioned above, there are many other chemicals used in water treatment. Coagulants, flocculants, softeners, and filter cleaners also form an important part of water treatment methods.
Aluminum sulfate
Aluminum sulfate is the main substance that helps condense pollutants in water. And adding slaked lime to adjust the pH of the water to get the best effect after thickening. Polyelectrolytes are used for condensation. It uses chlorine in addition to activated carbon.
The importance of water treatment
The water treatment industry plays an important role in providing clean water and preventing various water-related diseases across the world. With the help of innovative boiler water treatment chemicals and other related chemicals. It is now possible to make polluted seawater, river waste, and sewage safe for human consumption.
Coagulation and flocculation
The two are usually the first steps in water treatment in which positively charged chemicals are added to the water. The positive charge of these chemicals neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and other dissolved particles in the water. When this happens, the particles combine with the chemicals and form larger particles called agglomerates.
Sedimentation
The conglomerates settle due to their weight at the bottom of the water source during sedimentation. This process is called sedimentation, where the sedimentation or sediment resulting from the coagulation and flocculation process takes place in the subsequent stages.
Purification
After removing the sludge, we enter the filtration stage. During this process, the sludge passes through the material layer, which helps to remove organic matter and particles that were not removed before by coagulation. The material used is usually a layer of sand over a layer of gravel.
Overview
Plate Considerations
Microplates For Cell-Based Absorbance Assays
Microplates For Biochemical Absorbance Assays
Microplates For coated-plate Assays
Plate Seals
Custom Plate Services at PerkinElmer