Why use Hardshell PCR Microplates?
If you work in a laboratory that regularly uses PCR machines, you know that having high-quality microplates is essential for successful experiments.
PCR microplates are available in a variety of materials, but hardshell PCR microplates are often the best option for businesses. Here are 3 reasons why.
A Brief History of Microplates
Researchers today owe thanks to Dr Gyula Takátsky, the Hungarian scientist and inventor who invented the first microplate in 1951. His invention was driven by an influenza epidemic that caused a shortage of test tubes and pipettes. To continue research unimpeded, Dr Gyula Takátsky also designed platinum spiral loops that could be calibrated to replace pipettes.
Takátsky’s original microplate was made using Lucite, (Polymethyl Methacrylate or PMMA).
A few years after publishing papers informing the world what he had done, microplates caught on and accelerated research.
Microplates quickly became popular in scientific labs around the world, as they provided a more efficient way to conduct experiments. In the 1980s, advances in automation led to the development of robotic systems that could handle microplates, making it possible to run large numbers of samples through PCR machines quickly and easily.
Modern Microplates
Microplates are now used across the globe for quantitative and qualitative high-throughput screening and research. Microplates are manufactured in different sizes, shapes, and materials and with colours and surface coatings to suit every purpose.
Costs range from a few pounds to hundreds of pounds and can potentially use up a large portion of the budget. Experience tells us that it makes financial sense not to compromise on the quality of the microplate.
The quality and type of materials used to create impacts performance by determining robustness and affecting absorption or interaction with substances within the wells, thereby influencing results.
Choosing the best microplate for your experimentation could save time, money and effort and enhance the validity of your data. It is therefore a definite advantage to understand the materials, properties and performance of your chosen plate.
