Basic High Throughput Screening Equipment, Part One

There is an incredible selection of equipment available to laboratories that want to utilize high throughput screening. This series of articles will take a look at the basic equipment needed for these procedures.

In order to utilize basic high throughput screening processes, at a minimum a facility will need the following equipment: hoods, freezers, incubators, liquid handling equipment, microplates, microplate readers, microplate handling systems, as well as some miscellaneous equipment which we will discuss later on. Organizing your desired equipment list will help you work with investors to ascertain a feasible budget and will help you decide upon installation particulars. However, if this will be the first time you work with any or all of this equipment, it's highly recommended that you speak with engineers or scientists who have previous experience with the equipment. It's also a good idea to consult with vendors for direction and specific pricing needs.

MICROPLATES

Today microplates are considered a standard tool in bioassay automation and miniaturization. These come in a variety of sizes, materials and colors, each of which is designed to best suit the needs of a variety of different environments. Most organizations generally use microplates with 96 wells, with a capacity that nominally falls between 250-300 microlitres. Some of the most common microplate materials are cyclic olefin copolymer, which is best suited for use in acoustic droplet ejection; polypropylene, which is often used for thermal stability; and polystyrene, which is often seen as a low-cost alternative to other materials.

MICROPLATE READERS

Microplate readers utilize light-sensitive detection technology to take measurements. A wide variety is currently available and often numerous configurations are used in conjunction with one another in order to take multi-purpose measurements. Popular technology includes luminescence and fluorescence intensity. Generally the setups are divided into mutli-mode and single mode readers. Single mode microplate readers are generally seen as more cost-effective and are used in smaller labs. Multi-mode readers are generally used for more specialized needs.

There currently exists a number of microplate readers designed with distinct detection technology, for use in certain labs. Fluorescence polarization, which measures florescent molecule mobility, and time-resolved fluorescence, which measures fluorescent molecule emissions, are two of the most notable. Absorbance, which measures light as it travels through the well, is used in the detection of light absorption. Luminescence measures light generated in biochemical and chemical reactions and is popular for use in gene expression assays, ATP detection and cytotoxicity assays. Another reader worth noting is AlphaScreen, used to study bimolecular interactions through the measurement of molecules under excitation.