If you are considering building a lab of your own or are looking to learn some basic microbiology equipment techniques to enhance your knowledge for better clinical results, this blog is for you. Here, you will find an overview of some of the most commonly used microbiology equipment. You will also learn which lab applications you can use them for.
Equip your lab technicians with these must-have molecular biology products to expand the productivity of your lab. Most molecular laboratories have these types of equipment and make use of them on a regular basis to perform various testing and clinical trials.Must-Have Lab Equipments:
Here is a list of some must-have lab equipment that each lab should have in order to perform the most common and basic laboratory tests.
1. Micropipettes:
These lab tools help to measure and dispense small liquid volumes. A micropipette capacity does not exceed 1 ml. Most of them range from 1ul to 1000ul, as they are specifically designed for smaller quantities of liquid. On the other hand, macro pipettes can hold more than 1 ml of liquid volume. (Molecular Biology Laboratory Equipment, n.d.)Micropipettes are used for processes that require the physical interaction of microscopic samples. Micro-injection and patch clamping are two common procedures where these can be utilized. Multiple sizes of glass tubing are available in micropipettes that are either made of borosilicate, quartz, or aluminosilicate. The difference in composition makes them suitable for specific applications.
2. Filter Tips:
Filter tips are generally used to protect pipettes from aerosols. Additionally, they help counter the effects of volatile and viscous solutions in an experiment. This way, you can prevent contamination and avoid damaging the pipettes. Most of them are sterilized while some, less costly options come in a non-sterilized form as well. However, you would have to sterilize them before use. Fix the filter tip inside the proximal end of a pipette tip to protect your pipette and aerosol.
These tools are great for the training period of new researchers as well. Inexperienced technicians often make the mistake of aspirating the reagent directly into the pipette, which can lead to contamination. In short, filter tips are a cost-effective method to eliminate the risk of contamination and will save you money on repairing a damaged pipette. (What Are the Functions of Filter Pipette Tips?, 2021)3. Microscopes:
A microscope allows you to see microorganisms with your naked eye. It amplifies the size of an object with the help of different lenses to make microscopic bodies visible to a researcher’s eye. The science dealing with the investigation of small creatures is called microscopy, and you need a microscope to study it. Here are five types of microscopes that every lab should have.
● Dissecting Microscope:
A dissecting microscope is also identified by the name stereo or stereoscope. They offer low power magnification for varying processes of dissection. It is specially designed to study larger objects that can not be properly mounted on a flat surface.
● Inverted Microscope:
The light source and condenser on this microscope are located on the top of the stage. The objectives and turret are placed below the stage and their direction is towards the light source. If you need to observe and study living organisms or cells present at the bottom of a tissue culture flask or other lab containers, this is the ideal option. An inverted microscope allows you to learn about an organism as it lies in a more natural condition than a glass slide.
● Fluorescent Microscope:
As the name suggests, a fluorescent microscope is aided with a bright light that helps to study the properties of various organic and inorganic substances. Any study that requires the use of fluorescence or phosphorescent phenomena instead of reflection or absorption should be done under this microscope. It will also be able to perform all four phenomena in the same experiment.
● Confocal Microscope:
This is used for a particular optical imaging technique called Confocal microscopy that helps increase micrograph contrast. It may also be utilized to reconstruct 3-D images with the help of a spacial pinhole, which eliminates light that is not in focus. This is especially helpful in specimens that are broader than the focal plane.
To sum it up, these are the few most important microbiology equipment on our list that should be available in each lab. If you are looking to equip your lab with rainin LTS tips or serological pipettes, you can head to Molecular Biology Products. We have all sorts of microbiology products that are in compliance with the laboratory standards and are appropriately packaged as well.
