Useful Pipetting Tips To Avoid Cell Contamination

Accurate pipetting is necessary to carry out efficient experiments. The use of pipettes requires adequate knowledge and discretion. The lack of understanding and techniques of pipetting can result in poor turnout. The cell culture experiment has many chances of contamination during the procedure. Consequently, the inaccuracies lead to unfavourable conditions, thereby affecting the final result.

 

Contamination is the most significant factor that influences the outcome of the cell culture. The technicians and scientists must follow a pattern that prevents defilement and keeps the cells intact. This way, the experiment will no longer be affected by the potential damages. 

 

Principle Of Cell Culture:

The foremost principle of cell culture is the aseptic technique. This technique protects the cells from catching bacteria and germs. It is the most significant technique because, without it, the cells can be severely affected. The aseptic technique is the only method of keeping the cells safe and free from contamination. 

Contaminated cells can change the subject of the study because they lose their original state. Their properties and functions become different and change quickly. Subsequently, it provides an inappropriate result than anticipated. 

The most common contaminants that the scientists come across are the following:

• Bacteria
• Yeast
• Mould
• Plastic leachables

For preventing the above contaminants, it is necessary to keep the cells secure and safe for the experiment. 

Causes Of Cell Contamination:

Cell contamination takes place in several ways. Some of the most common causes of contamination in cell culture are:

• Pipette-to-sample Contamination:

This type of contamination involves causing impurity in the cells through the pipette. 

The following points can help to avoid this contamination.

 

• Try to use hygienic and sterilized filter tips to prevent the pipette from catching germs. 
• Use a separate pipette for each sample.
• Autoclave the pipette or use ethanol for sanitization. 
• Try to select autoclave compatible pipettes. 

• Sample-to-pipette Contamination:

The sample-to-pipette contamination occurs when the pipette tip is not changed for each sample. 

The following pointers can help to avoid this type of contamination.

• The use of filter tips can prevent the sample from getting inside the pipette. 
• The most suitable position of pipetting is vertical.
• Store the pipettes in an upright position.
• Make sure to lean the bottle for effective pipetting.
• Release the button slowly while pipetting. It’ll keep the sample from entering into the pipette.
• Use a pipette that comes with a soft ejection feature.

• Sample-to-sample Contamination:

This type of contamination appears when pipettes are not properly cleaned from the previous sample. 

The following points help to avoid contaminating the cells from sample-to-sample.

• Do not use the same tip for multiple samples.
• Ensure that the pipette is properly sterilized. 
• Check that the pipette is leak-proof and contains the sample safely.

All the above tips are useful in conducting the cell culture experiment without contamination. 

Undetectable Contamination Factors:

The most significant factor in avoiding contamination is the autoclaving procedure. This process eliminated many types of contaminants. Mostly, the cause of contamination in cell culture experiments is the use of non-sterilized tips. This cause often goes undetected and consequently affects the result. 

 

It is vital to use separate and pre-sterilized filter tips to avoid any potential damage to the cells. It is the most convenient method to conduct the experiment efficiently. Moreover, the quality of pipette tips greatly affects the contamination. Therefore, it is necessary not to compromise on the material and quality of the pipettes. 

 

Tips For Scientists To Avoid Contamination:

It is of crucial importance that scientists have adequate knowledge and information related to avoiding contamination. They must be aware of the procedures and techniques relevant to the experiment. This way, the chances of any errors and defects throughout the procedures become fewer. 

 

The following tips are beneficial for scientists.

• Efficient laboratory practice. 
• Planning of the future steps and management.
• Having all the essential products necessary for the experiment. 
• Prioritizing aseptically technique.

 

To sum up, by following the tips above, the contamination of cells becomes avoidable. Another significant factor attached to this experiment is using high-quality products. Molecular Biology Products (MBP INC) is a reliable online dealer of laboratory products and Molecular Biology Kits. We aim to provide products that meet global standards. Our team responds to all the queries of the customers and offers them unmatchable services. 

 

Citation:

Carter. C. (October 1st, 2019). Select Science: Ways to avoid cell contamination: Pipetting tips you need to know. Retrieved August 4th, 2021 from https://www.selectscience.net/editorial-articles/ways-to-avoid-cell-contamination-pipetting-tips-you-need-to-know/?artID=49826