Blog | Laboratory Supply Network

Should You Sonicate Your Western Blot Lysates?

By Kim McDonald, 08 June 2024

Sonication uses ultrasonic frequencies of 20 kHz or greater to disrupt cell membranes and ensure complete cell lysis. While most homogenization techniques are capable of cell lysis and homogenization, sonicators are particularly efficient. Where sonication stands out from other methods is its ability to shear chromatin and DNA in small sample volumes. DNA released from lysed nuclei can create a viscous sample that interferes with sample preparation and gel loading. Sonication shears DNA, decreasing v...

Should You Sonicate Your Western Blot Lysates?

Backup Systems for ULT Freezers: Your Reliable Safeguard

By Miriam Carrillo, 07 June 2024

Think about the contents of your ultra-low temperature freezer (or, if you don’t have one yet, the future cont...

Backup Systems for ULT Freezers: Your Reliable Safeguard

Air-Cooled vs. Water-Cooled Chillers: Which one is better for your Lab?

By Miriam Carrillo, 23 May 2024

Recirculating chillers must reject heat in order to function. The heat they are removing from your application needs to go somewhere! Therefore, you need to decide on an air-cooled or water-cooled chiller when purchasing one. However, the operation and requirements of these two types of chillers are very different. Let’s dive into th...

Air-Cooled vs. Water-Cooled Chillers: Which one is better for your Lab?

Sealed Centrifuge Rotors to Help Prevent Laboratory-Acquired Infections

By Kim McDonald, 17 February 2024

Centrifuges are used in nearly every laboratory worldwide to separate serum from plasma in clinical settings, pellet cells for storage, isolate proteins, and purify viral particles. Thus, laboratory centrifuges are one potential source of exposure to infectious material. Because of the high speed at which a centrifuge spins, samples can become aerosolized if the sample tube or vessel is not properly sealed. Additionally, sample vessels that are cracked or not rated to withstand high enough force may fail and leak. Unbalanced rotors may cause...

Sealed Centrifuge Rotors to Help Prevent Laboratory-Acquired Infections

Ultimate Guide to Homogenizer Selection for Cannabis Applications

By Doran Amos, 17 December 2023

In recent years, the production and consumption of cannabis-derived products for medicinal and health-enhancing purposes has grown rapidly across the US and worldwide. In this article, we detail the key factors to consider when purchasing a homogenizer and summarize the main advantages and disadvantages of the most suitable homogenizer types for cannabis applications.

Ultimate Guide to Homogenizer Selection for Cannabis Applications

Weighing tables for microbalances and analytical balances

By Kim McDonald, 13 November 2023

Analytical balances and microbalancesRead more ...

Weighing tables for microbalances and analytical balances

Shaking Incubator for Bacterial Growth: What to Know

By Kim McDonald, 13 November 2023

When culturing bacteria in a shaking incubator, several factors must be considered that will impact bacterial growth, including shaking speed, temperature, growth medium, and growth vessels. These will vary depending on your application, time course, bacterial strain, expression vectors, features of your incubator, and other factors. Shaking incubators continuously introduce dissolved oxygen into the culture medium, promoting aerobic bacterial growth. Choosing the proper settings and culture conditions is essential for producing the greatest yield while minimizing cell death and recombination events.

Shaking Incubator for Bacterial Growth: What to Know

Preventing Contamination in Mammalian Cell Culture

By Kim McDonald, 20 July 2023

Mammalian cell cultures can become contaminated with microbial contaminants (e.g., fungi, bacteria, and yeast) as well as viruses. An estimated 25% of all cell cultures are contaminated with mycoplasma bacterium alone. Contamination can affect cell viability, inhibit normal cellular processes, and lead to inconsistent results and experimental failures. Sources of contamination include working surfaces, reagents, personnel, and instrumentation. Water is excellent at conducting heat and equally great at becoming contaminated. Thus, water baths and CO₂ Read more ...

Preventing Contamination in Mammalian Cell Culture

What is the difference between a fixed-angle and a swing-out rotor?

By Kim McDonald, 27 June 2023

What is the difference between a fixed-angle and a swing-out rotor? In a swing-out rotor, the buckets swing out horizontally, allowing for horizontal centrifugation and sample separation. Samples within a fixed-angle rotor remain at a fixed angle throughout separation, causing sedimentation to occur at an angle. There are pros and cons to each rotor type and applications best suited for each.

Water bath or bead bath: which one is better?

By Kim McDonald, 27 June 2023

Both water and bead baths are used to warm laboratory reagents, such as media, as well as incubate samples. As the names imply, a water bath is full of water, and a bead bath is filled with thermal metal beads. Water conducts heat evenly, whereas bead baths can cause uneven temperature distribution. When using a bead bath, it is a good idea to use a temperature probe to check for the temperature near your sample or reagent. Water baths are prone to contamination, whereas bead baths, such as those filled with aluminum Read more ...

Water bath or bead bath: which one is better?

Best Practices for Maintenance of a Laboratory Oven

By Kim McDonald, 11 June 2023

A laboratory oven is a critical component in various research and testing processes, and it is imperative to keep it in optimal condition to avoid compromising the quality of data produced or the safety of those who operate it. Routine maintenance practices can help extend the lifespan of the oven, prevent breakdowns, and ensure optimal performance. Following best practices for maintaining a laboratory oven will help you keep your oven running smoothly and efficiently while avoiding costly repairs and replacements.

Best Practices for Maintenance of a Laboratory Oven

Percoll Gradient Centrifugation: What to consider when isolating cells, subcellular particles, and virus

By Kim McDonald, 22 January 2023

Percoll gradients can be used to isolate specific cells, subcellular particles, and viral particles via centrifugation based on their individual densities. Gradients can be pre-formed before the isopycnic separation of cells at low speeds. However, viruses and subcellular particles generally will not efficiently separate on pre-formed gradients. In this case, in situ gradient preparation is needed where the sample is diluted in the Percoll solution prior to centrifugation; particles are separated simultaneously to gradient formation.

Percoll Gradient Centrifugation: What to consider when isolating cells, subcellular particles, and virus

What to Look for in Energy-Efficient Freezers

By Kim McDonald, 25 December 2022

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created specifications for energy-efficient refrigerators and freezers for laboratory use. The goal of this program is to make it easy for consumers to identify appliances that will be environmentally friendly by consuming less energy while also saving energy costs for the user. Most manufacturers that are eligible will include the ENERGY STAR® label, making it an easy way to spot freezers that meet these criteria. You can also search an Read more ...

What to Look for in Energy-Efficient Freezers

I have a cold room, why do I need a refrigerated centrifuge?

By Kim McDonald, 05 October 2022

Though precise temperature control may not be required for many applications, some analytes are temperature-sensitive and require stable temperature control. Refrigerated centrifuges counteract the temperature fluctuations that occur during centrifugation, making them suitable for temperature-sensitive analytes.

I have a cold room, why do I need a refrigerated centrifuge?

How to prevent heat build-up during homogenization

By Doran Amos, 16 September 2022

Heat build-up during homogenization can be a significant challenge, especially when working with temperature-sensitive samples. So how can you prevent heat damage to your sample during homogenization? In this article, we provide specific tips on how to deal with sample overheating in four popular types of homogenizer.

How to prevent heat build-up during homogenization