FAQ - Tissue Culture Plates
1. What are GREINERs TC treated products coated with?
Our CellStar TC Treated products are not coated with any chemical or biological product. Rather, the surface is physically modified to make it suitable for cell culture applications. Plasticware coated with extracellular matrix or synthetic proteins is available in our CellCoat line of products. Standard catalog products include Collagen I, Poly-D-Lysine, and Poly-L-Lysine.
2. Does GREINER have TC products coated with proteins other than Collagen type I, Poly- D-Lysine and Poly-L-Lysine?
Yes. GREINER will coat its TC products with Laminin or Fibronectin upon special request.
3. What are the sources of the proteins that GREINER uses to coat its CellCoat TC
Collagen I: Rat Tail Tendon Poly-D and Poly-L-Lysine: Synthetic Laminin: murine Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm tumor cells Fibronectin: human plasma
4. Is the glass bottom SensoPlate recommended for cell culture?
While this plate provides excellent flatness and clarity for microscopic examination, some cell lines may interact with the adhesive used in production. It is best to pre-test your culture if you plan to incubate them in the SensoPlate for longer than 24 hours.
5. Are GREINERs microplates autoclavable?
Only the microplates made of polypropylene are autoclavable. However, we do offer sterile polystyrene microplates that do not require autoclaving.
6. Can I use TC treated plates for EIA?
It is not recommended. TC treatment of polystyrene produces a hydrophilic, negatively charged surface. This allows molecules with a greater affinity for the surface to replace molecules with a lesser affinity. Therefore, non-specific background is hard to control.
7. When should I use a white or black plate?
The color of the plate is dependent on the type of assay being performed. Typically white plates are used for luminescent applications and black plates are used for fluorescent applications. The opacity of these plates is designed to reduce background signals and cross talk between the wells.
8. When would I use a V-bottom or U-bottom microplate instead of a Flat bottom?
U- bottom plates are ideally suited for qualitative applications when thorough mixing is necessary. V-bottom plates are typically used to store small volumes when maximum recovery is essential. Flat bottom plates are excellent for optical measurements and ideal for microscopic examination.
9. What is the advantage of a µClear plate over a standard polystyrene plate?
µClear plates have increased sensitivity down to 340 nm due to a reduction in background. The bottom of the plate is made from a thin film of polystyrene equaling 200 mm for 96 and 384 well formats and 75 mm for the 1536 well format.
10. Does GREINER have a microplate for measurement of DNA?
Yes. They are our UVStar microplates available in 96 and 384 well formats.
11. What is the difference between What is the difference between µClear and UVStar microplates?
µClear microplates have clear bottoms of ultra thin polystyrene films. They have extended wavelength ranges down to 340 nm, increased sensitivity, and reduced background. UVStar microplates improve upon µClear capabilities. Their ultra thin film is a proprietary resin that extends the wavelength range down to 200 nm. They are highly recommended for measuring protein and DNA concentrations at 280 nm and 260 nm.
12. What does skirted mean?
Skirted is a term used most frequently with our PCR plates. It refers to how far the sides of the plate extend down with respect to the bottom of the wells (tubes) in the plate. GREINER has plates with full skirts, meaning the sides of the plate extend just below the base of the wells. GREINER also has half skirted plates where the sides extend half the distance to the bottom of the wells. Finally, GREINER has plates with no skirt where the side is a short lip over the edge of the wells. Different thermocyclers require different skirt lengths for the plates to fit properly. Note: Most standard GREINER polystyrene and polypropylene 96, 384 and 1536 well microplates have full skirts.
13. What is the difference between high and medium binding plates?
GREINER manufactures both medium and high binding microplates. Medium binding microplates have an approximate binding capacity of 200 ng/cm2 of IgG as assessed by competitive EIA, while High binding plates have a capacity of approximately 600 ng/cm2 of IgG. In general, high binding plates are recommended for EIA applications. The improved loading density in high binding plates produces more sensitive assays. However, as with any new assay, it is best to compare medium and high binding plates to determine which is best.
14. What is the difference between HiBase and LoBase microplates?
HiBase: A particular design for GREINERs microplates. In this design, the tops of the wells rise just slightly above the top of the plate and the bottoms of the wells are several millimeters above the bottom of the plate. LoBase: A particular design for GREINERs microplate. In 1536 well LoBase microplates, the top of the wells sit ~3.5mm below the top of the plate and the bottoms of the wells are only ~ 2mm from the bottom of the plate. In 384 well LoBase microplates, the overall height of the plate is approximately half that of the HiBase version and the wells are chimney style.
15. How does irradiation and autoclaving affect polypropylene plates?
Our sterile polypropylene plates have a yellowish tint. You may want to sample them prior to purchase to ascertain if this will affect your assay. Repeated autoclaving of polypropylene plates will cause them to become discolored (yellowish tint) and may eventually make them brittle and easier to crack.