Potter-Elvejhem homogenizer

Using a blender, a Potter-Elvejhem homogenizer, or a sonicator. 

If you needed to maintain the structural integrity of the subcellular organelles, a Potter-Elvejhem homogenizer would be better because it is more gentle. The tissue, such as liver, must be soft enough to use with this device. 

Eirst homogenize the liver cells using a Potter-Elvejhem homogenizer. Then spin the homogenate at 500 X g to sediment the unbroken cells and nuclei. Centrifuge the supernatant at 15,000 X gand collect the pellet, which contains the mitochondria. 

Dice the tissue with a scalpel and transfer to 250 ml isolation buffer (70 mM sucrose, 220 mM mannitol, 2 mM HEPES pH 7.4, and 0.5 mg/ml bovine serum albumin) with protease inhibitor cocktail (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland). Homogenize the tissue with three passes of a loose-fitting pestle in a prechilled Potter-Elvejhem homogenizer, followed by five passes of a tight-fitting pestle. 

Numerous types of similar homogenizers are available. Many are derived from the Potter and Elvejhem apparatus. Th consist of a glass or plastic pestle which is rotated in a calibrated glass tube, either manually or with the help of a motor. The Dounce homogenizer is also frequently used the plunger is in the form of a ball and is manually raised and lowered in a glass tube. The efficacy of such devices... 

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