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The microplate is also referred to as a microwell plate or a multiwell. It is also known as a Microtiter plate. These microplates are commonly used in the ELISA test, which is one of the most common diagnostic tests.All About Microplates
Microplates can be made from many different materials. Most commonly, they are made from polystyrene. They can also be made from polypropylene or polycarbonate. The microplates are manufactured using an injection molding process. They are commonly available in four types of wells:
a) F-bottom or flat bottom.
b) C-bottom or bottom with rounded edges
c) V-bottom with a V-shaped bottom
d) U-bottom with a U-shaped bottom
Microplates are also available with the following number of wells:
1) 6 wells, in 2 x 3 arrangement
2) 12 wells, in 3 x 4 arrangement
3) 24 wells, in 4 x 6 arrangement
4) 48 wells, in 6 x 8 arrangement
5) 96 wells, in 8 x 12 arrangement
6) 384 wells, in 16 x 24 arrangement
For some applications, microplates with 1536 or 3456 wells may also be available.
Brief History of Microplates
The history of microplates can be traced back to 1951, when a Hungarian scientist known as Dr. Gyula Takatsy created an 8 x 12 well microplate. This 96-well design was the first microplate that was made to increase throughput while saving money. He kept working on the design to improve it. In the 1960s, his design of microplates was gradually incorporated in various applications throughout the industry.
The use of automated equipment made the usage of microplates more flexible. The characteristics of the microplate, in terms of number of wells, size of wells, and materials used in production were defined in the 1990s. ANSI then standardized these requirements and they began to be followed universally. Since 2010, the standards are known as SLAS/ANSI standard, since SLAS or Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening regulates these standards.
Applications of Microplates
The major application of microplates is in serology and virology. The Autotiter was an automated device to handle liquids. This was an enhanced version of what Takatsy had developed and was used for serial dilutions.
The ELISA test is one of the most common applications for which microplates are used. Earlier, RIA or Radioimmunoassay techniques were used. These were replaced with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in the 1970s. These became popular and were used for clinical applications and also for research applications. Microplates are considered the best type of vessels in which these assays can be carried out.
There are various types of microplates with the 96 well microplates being one of the most prominent and widely used. One of the pioneers in the making of these microplates is Greiner Bio-One. This company has been manufacturing microplates for more than 40 years. They have a range of products for different applications.
Contact Info:
Name: NS Team
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Organization: NS Team
Website: http://www.nsteam.org
Release ID: 89047161
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