tpp-us blog

Midsci's Feburary backpack winner!

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:00:00 -0500

Congratulations to Midsci St Louis's February backpack winner is Bob Mikesell from the Cross lab at Ophthalmology Wash U! Woohoo! Bob has been a long time TPP user, thank you for your loyality to TPP!

HIV CURE

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 02:00:00 -0500

This week some very exciting news is hitting the presses on a possible cure for HIV: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/14/hiv-cure-berlin-patient_n_796521.html We are so very proud of the achievements of these researchers and our hopes that this is a real breakthrough are of a deep heartfelt nature. Also, kudos to all researchers that study HIV and/or work with Stem Cells. You all played a part; somewhere, in some way, of progressing basic sciences to huge achievements. Notice the picture from the lab: TPP 50ml Tubes, 75cm2 Flasks, and our Cell Scrapers were the products of choice. If TPP played any small part in that we are humbled and honored. Now what else can be done?

TPP Cited in Paper

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Thank you to Simon Kaja, PhD for citing TPP and sending us the link. Dr. Kaja is the Associate Director Preclinical Research Vision Research Center; Assistant Professor in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Basic Medical Science, University of Missouri - Kansas City. You can learn more about Dr. Kaja work at www.simonkaja.com. Here is a link to his latest paper: Novel mechanism: oxidative stress selectively increases type-2 IP3 receptors in neuronal cells. http://bit.ly/9zAiZc If you want 1000's more to see your paper, send us a link and we will post it here, at FB and Twitter!

How much does it cost you for a bad 50ml centrifuge tube?

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Freezer Clean-Out: How much do you throw away because it was mislabeled or not labeled? TPP tubes come with a chemical and liquid resistant label on the cap. Tube Breakage/Tube Leakage: How much does a broken or leaking tube cost you? If it breaks in the centrifuge and it is radioactive, it is 3 days and a lot of hassle. If it has 25ml of FBS in it, then that $0.20 tube cost you $10 in loss. 100% of all TPP tube lots are tested to meet specs: 9400xg (PP), to -180oC and up to 121oC. Tired of Tubes Filled w/Dark Liquid & Have Dark Printed Graduations? All of TPP Tubes have white graduations and white writing surfaces. Why Do Tubes Only Have Graduations to 5ml? TPP 50ml has graduations to 0.5ml and the 15ml has them to 0.1ml. Buy some today and try them for yourself!

NEW 600ml Bioreactor Tube

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Introducing the new Bioreactor 600! The TPP Bioreactor family has grown from the 50ml tube to now including a 600ml tube. Ideal for larger scale suspensions, parallel experiments, bioreacting, and more, this tube adds versatility, volume, and convenience to any lab. With a maximum working volume of 400ml and a 0.2um filter cap this tube fits a wide variety of applications. Whether shaking or centrifuging the tube also fits most standard rotors or tube racks for 500ml tubes. Want to learn more about this product? Contact us at 800-544-9909 or tech@tpp-us.com or watch this video about the Bioreactor Tubes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdifEb0nezA.

Helpful hints for aseptic techniques

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:00:00 -0500

Want better aseptic techniques? For more information click here: http://www.midsci.com/images/Blog/HelpfulHintsBetterAsepticTechnique.pdf.

10cm Tiny Flasks

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:49:00 -0500

Have you ever wished you could just grow your adherent cells in a tube, so you could save some time and an extra step in the cell culture hood? TPP 10cm Tiny Flasks solve that problem! The tube is approximately the same size as a 50ml tube, though it has 2 flat sides-one 10cm2 growth area and one flat viewing window for microscopy. The tube will also not fall through a microscope stage like a 35mm dish can. These tubes also have a plastic resting mount to keep the tubes in place in the incubator and to give the tube the optimal angle for the growth surface. The cleverly designed tear-drop shape of the growth surface can be exactly worked with cell scraper as well. See this tube in action at: http://tpp-us.com/docs/tpp-tissue-culture-flask-tube.html.

AlphaPette Blowout!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:36:00 -0500

Pipettors specifically for the tissue culture hood are a necessity for any lab worried about contamination. And now is the perfect time to stock up on them-Midsci is having a huge sale! The AlphaPettes are fully autoclavable, which means you can keep your pipettes sterile for working in the hood. The continuous adjustment with either the plunger button or the thumbwheel means your dispensing volumes are always accurate. The lifetime warranty doesn't hurt either! They also accept universal tips, so you can use the filter tips of your choice. Sale prices range from $139-149, call or email Midsci for more information. You can find the pipettors at Midsci's website: http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=942. Do you have AlphaPettes? What do you like about them? What would you like to see from future generations of AlphaPettes? Leave your comments!

TPP 1L Filtermax Bottle Filter Preview!

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:42:00 -0500

Introducing, due to popular request, the new TPP 1000ml Filtermax bottle filters and bottle-top filters. These new bottle filters will offer the same great features as the other bottle filters TPP offers, only in a larger size. The square shape of the bottles and filters means less space taken up in a refrigerator, on a shelf, or stored in boxes. This shape also helps in handling the bottles, as well as giving the bottle a sturdier footprint, which makes the bottle more difficult to tip over while filtering. The large surface area of the PES membrane offers extremely low protein binding and excellent chemical resistance. The prototypes for the 1L bottle filters are getting great reviews in the lab and should be available to everyone late fall. Until then, you can see the full line of bottle filters through Midsci at http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=2060 and http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=2220.

Using the TPP Easy Read Device

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:47:00 -0500

The "Easy Read" PCV (Packed Cell Volume) Tubes provide a quicker, less tedious alternative to counting cells than using a microscope and hemacytometer. Users simply load a sample of cell suspension into the PCV Tube, spin for 1 minute in a microcentrifuge to pellet the cells into the capillary at the bottom of the tube, and then accurately determine the cell pellet volume with the "Easy Read" measuring device. The cell pellet volume can then be utilized in conjunction with pre-determined conversion factors to quickly calculate cell number, protein production, or metabolic activity. The Easy Read device is a blue metal ruler that measures microliter amounts. The front part of this ruler is flat and allows the user to measure microliter amounts to 0.025ul. Behind the ruler on the front is a metal slant on the back going down toward the higher measurements. The gray metal guide includes both a magnifying glass as well as the tube holder. The bottom of the tube is placed into the holder and rests against the slant on the back of the device. The tube then slides up and down that slant as you move the gray metal piece across the ruler. Once the top of your pellet is flush with the ruler, you can read the measurement through the magnifying glass. Using the Easy Read device can give you more accurate results over the capillary graduations on the regular PCV tubes. The cost savings in buying the Easy Read device and using the non graduated tubes adds up quickly after multiple samples. http://tpp-us.com/docs/PCV_Easy_Read_Cell_Counting_System.html

Keeping Cells Warm in the TC Hood

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:30:00 -0500

Have you ever been in the tissue culture hood and started multi-tasking too much? All of a sudden you have a bunch of tubes holding cells, all of which need to be plated. Or you need to set up a large experiment that takes quite a bit of time, all the while the cells are cooling to room temperature. They have been sitting in the hood for awhile, and really should be warm so that they don't die just waiting to be plated. Thankfully, there is a solution! The Walkabout Scoop Tray filled with warm (37C) bath beads is the perfect resolution to keeping your samples warm, organized, and alive! The insulated scoop tray can be filled with the warm beads that are already in your water bath, or the beads can be warmed in an incubator. The tray can then be placed in your hood or next to you, as it is only one quarter the size of a standard ice bucket. Your sample will retain the 37C temperature for up to 15 times longer than leaving your sample at room temperature. Then, replace the beads back into the water bath when you are done, to warm them back up to the bath temperature. Midsci can supply these beads and answer any questions you have: http://www.midsci.com/docs/opt/bath_beads.html#drybath. Don't leave your cells out in the cold! Reference: http://www.labarmor.com/bead_trays.html

Preventing Incubator Contamination

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:32:00 -0500

Once contamination has hit a tissue culture incubator, it is hard to rid that incubator of the contamination. The best way to take care of this problem is to use a 180°C sterilization cycle overnight with each hint of contamination. To see what the sterilization cycle could do to for your incubator, click here: http://binder-world.cnpg.com/Video/flatFiles/237/. Midsci carries two incubator brands that offer this sterilization feature: The Binder 180C Sterilization incubator http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=2926 and the New! Shel Lab High Heat Decontamination CO2 Incubator http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=3108. If you have an incubator that doesn't have this feature, there are a few things you can do to keep it clean and free from contamination as well: 1) The humidity pan should be removed, washed with disinfectant (non-corrosive ones!) and refilled with distilled, autoclaved water. You can also add a few pennies to the water. Copper oxide is released as the copper in the pennies breaks down. This copper oxide eliminates the microbes that are present in the chamber. 2) Remove all shelves and other stainless steel parts, wash with disinfectant, autoclave and replace into incubator as needed. 3) Wipe down the entire chamber, including door and gaskets with disinfectant as needed. 4) Replace gaskets as they wear. 5) Replace all HEPA and CO2 inline filters every 6 months or sooner, if noticeably dirty. Depending on the amount of usage of the incubator, these processes should be done weekly, monthly or quarterly.

Minimize Serum Handling for Healthier Cells

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:12:00 -0500

Large bottles of Fetal Bovine Serum are the norm for most labs; however they can be the source of many problems as well. Multiple freeze/thaw cycles on a bottle of FBS can damage the integrity of the components in the serum. Precipitates can form. Sterility can be compromised by opening and closing FBS bottles multiple times. Money is also wasted in extra tubes and pipettes, as well as time spent aliquoting and tube labeling. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to start with smaller aliquots? Introducing BioWest 50ml FBS aliquots, which come conveniently packaged in 10 bottles per case. The pre-aliquoted bottles allow everyone in the lab to have their own, to prevent any contamination, freeze/thaw problems, etc. For more information, go to this website: http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=3104

Ergonomic Cell Culture Techniques

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Working in the tissue culture hood all day can be a pain...literally. Ergonomic experts from all over the country, at places such as the CDC, NIH, UCLA, etc. agree that pipettor strain is a huge problem. From the repetitive motions to the posture and twisting done to complete the task, pipetting takes its toll on your body. These principles also apply to using pipet fillers in a tissue culture hood. Moving your hand and arm up and around inside the tissue culture hood, keeping the serological pipet from touching anything, and doing it for possibly hours at a time, keep the body from staying at a neutral ergonomic position. The TPP serological pipettes help to alleviate some of the strain caused by pipetting when doing cell culture. The pipettes have a shorter design to allow for easier maneuvering around the hood. http://tpp-us.com/docs/tpp-serological-pipettes.html . Two new pipettes take the concept to a whole new level. The 25/40ml and 50/70ml pipettes include reservoirs for media at the top of the pipette to allow for a shorter design, but also allow the pipettes to hold more liquid to lessen the repetitive motion of filling tissue culture vessels http://tpp-us.com/docs/25_40ml_and_50_70ml_Reservoir_Serological_Pipettes.html . If you combine the TPP serological pipettes with the Drummond Ergonomic Pipet-Aid XL, you get a complete ergonomic pipetting system. The Pipet-Aid XL has an innovative design that has a longer handle which lowers your arm to a more neutral position. It also has an adjustable sliding hand rest and a removable stand for more convenient comfort. For more information on the Pipet-Aid XL, go to the MIDSCI website, http://thelabshark.com/cat/prodprice2_Detail.cfm?ID=2694 . References: http://www.vistalab.com/pdf/PittConPoster1.pdf http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/Ergonomics/labergo.htm http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/hesis/Documents/labwork.pdf

Microbial Contamination in Your Water Bath

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:23:00 -0500

Taking care of water baths can be a pain for any researcher, especially when trying to eliminate contamination. These warm, moist environments are perfect for growing bacteria, molds, or fungus that can work their way into experiments and skew results. In addition to using harmful antimicrobial agents such as azides, maintaining contamination-free water baths requires constant cleaning and refilling which can become laborious. Also considering that bottles and tubes often tip over in water, and evaporation can lead to bath burnout or fire, water baths present several problems and concerns to tissue culture labs or any general laboratory using a water bath. Can your lab go waterless? With Bath Armor beads you can! Bath Armor beads fit directly into your current bath in place of water and just like that you have a contamination-free warming bath. Using a spritz of disinfectant periodically is all you need to keep most bacteria and other microbes from growing in your bath. Beads also hold tubes and bottles right where you place them, without the need of racks or bottleneck weights. Bead baths are also GREEN and good for the environment: water isn't lost due to evaporation and harmful chemicals are not used to control contamination. Also, less electricity needed to heat the bath, because the beads stay at a constant temperature at all times. See this website for more information: http://midsci.com/docs/opt/bath_beads.html How would these Bath Armor beads come in handy for you?