Salk Institute Mobile Lab Gel Electrophoresis Student Instructions VWR Set up.

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

Gel Electrophoresis

Student Instructions

VWR

Set up

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

Gel Electrophoresis Student Station Set-up

tip container w/tips

waste container

Micro-pipettor

practice sheet in protector

foam epi rack w/ 1 food color tube each: orange, green, purple

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Parts of a Micro-pipettor– Make sure a yellow tip is

firmly twisted onto the end of the micro-pipettor

– Adjust the dispense amount to 5 µl (05.0) by turning the knob at the top

Plunger

Amount window

Eject button

Barrel

Yellow tip

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Carefully open one of the food color tubes – Don’t let the lid snap back

and splash you!

• To Fill – press down gently with your thumb until you feel the plunger stop. This is STOP 1. While holding the plunger at Stop 1 place the tip into the liquid and release the plunger. This will draw up the precise volume you want.

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• To Dispense – press down hard on the plunger, you’ll pass Stop 1 and continue to STOP 2. This will fully eject the volume from the tip.

• Using your other hand to guide the end of the tip, practice dispensing the 5µl drops – Try to not push down on the

plastic sheet - see if you can hold the pipettor tip just above the paper

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Push green button to eject the dirty tip into the waste container and replace with a clean tip

• Always use a clean tip each time!!

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Ready to load a real gel?

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

Loading the gel

• Load the food color solutions into the wells on your group’s gel

• Be careful not to poke through the bottom of the wells!