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>
No Cross Contamination
The samples are homogenized (or mixed)
non-invasively. The sample tubes are kept closed during
agitation, as the samples are processed. There are no probes to
clean between samples.
> Samples Stay Cool
The instrument uses very little power due to the
unique, patented design. It uses a small DC motor to agitate the
individual tubes, not ultrasonics. Also, because the motor
does not need to agitate any heavy platforms or plates, it is small and
will last for years.
>
Convenient
to Use
Simply place your cell culture, small organisms, or tissue samples or
cell cultures and some beads in standard high quality polypropylene
tubes, and load the tubes into the Bullet Blender™.
Set the duration (typically a few minutes) and speed
(vigorousness). There are no probes to clean. And it is
quieter than a sonicator and does not heat up your samples more than a
few degrees!
>
Risk Free
Purchase
The Bullet
Blender™ comes with a 30-day
money back guarantee and a two year warranty, with a three year
warranty on the motor. The simple, reliable design enables the Bullet Blenders™ to sell for a fraction
of the price of ultrasonic or other agitation based instruments, yet
provides an easier, quicker technique.
> Established Protocols
Protocol for Mammalian Cell Culture Homogenization in the Bullet Blender™
The protocol described in this document is for the use of the Bullet Blender™ for the
homogenization of mammalian cell cultures. This protocol does not specify a particular
buffer - you may choose which is most appropriate for your downstream application
(nucleic acid isolation, protein extraction, etc.).
Materials Required:
mammalian cells, aspirator, Bullet Blender™, homogenization
buffer, pipettor, microcentrifuge tubes, and 0.15mm zirconium
oxide beads (part number ZrOB015) or 0.1mm glass beads (part
number GB01).
Instructions:
- Detach cells from culture dish or flask by your chosen method (trypsinization,
scraping, spontaneous detachment, etc.)
- Wash cells from dish with PBS into centrifuge tube
- Centrifuge cell suspension to yield a cell pellet (200-500g for five minutes at 0°C).
- Completely aspirate the supernatant liquid. Place tube on ice.
- Inspect the volume of the pellet. It should be 300μL or less in order to get efficient
homogenization.
- OPTIONAL (see note below): Add a volume of zirconium oxide beads (0.15mm)
OR glass beads (0.1mm) to the tube equal to the volume of the pellet. One scoop of beads ≈ 50μL.
- Add 0.1mL to 0.6mL buffer (2 volumes of buffer for every volume of cells).
- Close the microcentrifuge tubes.
- Place tubes into the Bullet Blender™.
- Set controls for SPEED 5 and TIME 2 to 3 minutes. Press Start.
- After the run, remove tubes from the instrument.
- Visually inspect samples. If homogenization is unsatisfactory, run for another two
minutes at the SPEED 5.
- Proceed with your downstream application.
SAFETY NOTE!!!
When using a centrifuge to separate your homogenate from
the debris and beads, make sure your tubes are balanced.
Notes
Some cells may be sufficiently lysed in strong buffers (i.e. high salt, high detergent, etc.)
without the use of beads. Other cells may require beads regardless of buffer due to their
intrinsically stronger membranes. So the optional step (number 6) of adding beads is
one which we recommend that you empirically determine yourself based on your
application and workflow.
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