Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1. Migration away from an agarose drop. Arrow heads indicate the edge of
the drop.
4. Notes
1.
The chemotaxis chambers are made of acrylic, where they scratch, pit, and warp
relatively easily. Do not over tighten the thumb nuts. Exercise caution when han-
dling, and never use solvents to clean them. Always take great care not to scratch
the surface, which might compromise the water tight seal required for successful
assembly of the chamber, keep it clean, and do not allow solutions to dry in the
wells. If you need to clean the wells, use cotton buds soaked in a nonaggressive
soap solution. Clean the chamber between each experiment, using Terg-A-Zyme,
or other proprietary, nonaggressive, enzymatic cleaning solution. Replace the
gaskets periodically, as the holes for the retaining pins begin to enlarge with use,
and small scratches appear regardless of how carefully you treat them.
2.
When handling the filters, do not touch them with bare hands to avoid greasy
marks. The filters are very fragile, and tear very easily, they also puncture, stretch,
and crease easily. Great care is required during handling. Flat-tipped forceps are
the best handling tool, one for each end of the filter, to avoid it folding during
placement on the chamber or transfer from solution to solution.
3.
When washing and precoating the filters, it is easiest to immerse them in the solution.
4.
Prepare the filters for each experiment as you need them. Although you can store
PDL-coated filters for several weeks, the quality of the coating deteriorates with
time and is noticeable when staining.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search