96-Well microplates technology

Products/technologies Offerings include the MTP-40 autosampler for direct sampling lfom wells to vials in combinatorial projects and the MTP-10A autosampler for direct sampling from 96-well microplates eliminating the need to transfer samples from wells to vials in combinatorial chemistry projects. 

Parallel analysis is one of the most effective ways to enhance laboratory productivity. A typical parallel analysis HPLC system consists of multiple pumps or a multi-channel pumping system, a multi-probe autosampler capable of four or eight simultaneous parallel injections from 96-well microplates, and a multiplexed UV detector and/or MS. This generic approach allows a 4 to 8 fold increase of sample throughput while maintaining the traditional performance and convenience of HPLC. This technology can potentially be extended to a 96-channel analysis system. 

The rate of technology development specifically associated with HTS for pharmaceutical drug discovery has increased markedly over recent years with automated techniques involving miniaturisation, to allow assays on very small samples (e.g., ljxL volume), and the ability to analyse thousands of samples a day using well microplates (Burbaum 1998). In addition to the use of HTS for pharmacological activity, HTS tests have been developed for assessing metabolism and pharmacokinetic and toxicity factors to speed up the drug discovery process. 

A method in which a large number of assays (from thousands to millions) are performed and assessed in a relatively short time period. Typically, these assays are carried out in microplates of at least 96 wells using automated or robotic technologies. Note the rate of at least 100,000 assays per day has been termed Ultra HTS (UHTS). 

Products/technologies Porvair sells the Microlute Solid Phase Extraction in a Microplate system that provides 96 solid phase extractions in one compact unit (using any brand of sorbent). It can be automated using most standard liquid handling and robotic systems. Porvair s 384-well plate is compatible with most automated liquid handling instruments, readers for EIA, fluorescence, luminescence, and scintillation assays as well as robotic-handling devices. 

There have been many advances in SPE over the years that have made it a more attractive choice for sample preparation in drug discovery. The technology has been improved with the introduction of new solid sorbent chemistries that allow for generic methods, multiple types of disk-based SPE devices, smaller bed mass sorbent loading, and a multitude of 96-well plate formats to accommodate a range of sample volumes from microliters to milliliters. Liquid-handling workstations have also been improved to offer completely unattended automation for performing the SPE procedure in microplates. 

Majority of HTS is performed in microplates most frequently used formats contain 96, 384, and 1,536 wells per plate (Fig. 2). Consequently, HTS assays require detection approaches that could be easily executed in a plate format. Although the number of novel detection approaches adapted in HTS is constantly growing, assays based on spectrophotometric properties are by far the most prevalent, reflecting their technical and technological simplicity and low cost. Absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence, and derivations thereof are common in HTS assays. Broad selection of relatively inexpensive monochromator-, optical filter-, or diode array-based plate readers and suitable generic plates provides a foundation to spectroscopic HTS assays. 

Sponholtz, D.K. (1995) Immunoassays in Microplate Wells Optimization of Binding by Passive Adsorption. Technical Bulletin, IVD Technology, pp. 12 15. Available at http // www.devicelink.com/ivdt/95/03.html. 

Micromethods are one of the most recent applications of fluorescence and efforts are devoted to the adaptation of apparatus capable of direct measurement on cell culture microplates that can be automatically scanned. In basic research, as well as in pharmaceutical drug development, this advanced technology represents a significant gain in productivity and cost control. This article deals first with probe labelling strategy, choice of suitable devices for microplate... 

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