When conducting experiments, multi-well plates (like CIM® Monolithic 96-well or 24-well Plates) are an excellent tool for high-throughput analysis. However, what do you do if you don’t have enough sample to fill the entire plate? It might seem excessive to use a full plate when you only need a few wells, but rest assured—it’s entirely feasible to utilize just part of the plate without wasting your sample. Whether you’re working with precious samples or simply want to save some for future experiments, there are several methods to use only the wells you need and re-use the plate without compromise.
Here’s how you can partially use a multi-well plate and still get great results:
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Using the Vacuum Manifold
If you’re using a vacuum manifold, the number of rows you plan to use will dictate how you handle the plate.
- Using a few rows: If you’re using only a few rows, remove the entire bottom cover and only the upper seal on the rows you intend to use. The remaining upper seal prevents storage solution leakage. Once you finish your experiment, you can store the plate according to the instructions in the IFU (Instructions for Use).
- Using more rows but not all: In this case, remove both the bottom cover and the upper seal completely. Fill the unused wells with water or running buffer when you perform your experiment, and do so as you fill the used wells. This will prevent air from rushing through the empty wells, which could increase the running time on the manifold. By filling the unused wells, you ensure more efficient operation and avoid the extra time caused by empty wells.
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Using the Positive Pressure Manifold
When using a positive pressure manifold, the approach is simple:
- Remove both the bottom cover and the upper seal entirely.
- You can leave unused wells either dry or filled with water or running buffer. If you leave the unused wells dry, it will not affect the experiment. Make sure to properly equilibrate the plate’s unused wells, and store the plate according to Instructions for use document.
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Using a Centrifuge
If you’re using a centrifuge for your experiment, here’s how to handle the plate:
- Remove both the bottom cover and the upper seal. The centrifugal force will automatically empty any unused wells, so there’s no need to worry about the wells remaining sealed.
- You can leave unused wells either dry or filled with water or running buffer. Filling them with water helps with balancing the rotor, which is essential for stable operation.
General Tips
- Reuse the monolithic well-plates: After your experiment, you can store the plate as recommended by the manufacturer. If you plan to re-use it, just ensure the unused wells are properly filled or sealed to prevent contamination or drying.
- Be mindful of the buffer: If you’re not using all wells, make sure to use an appropriate buffer or solution to fill the unused ones. This ensures more even pressure or flow through the plate during your experiment.
- Follow the instructions and have a look at our video tutorial on how to use CIM monolitic well plates.
Just because you don’t need to use the whole multi-well plate doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of it. By understanding how to use different manifolds and centrifuge techniques, you can optimize your plate usage, ensuring efficient and effective experimentation without waste. This approach not only conserves resources but also enhances the versatility of your scientific endeavors, empowering you to achieve more with less. Monolithic plates truly shine in scenarios where sample availability is limited, demonstrating their value in any research environment.
Whether your goal is to screen multiple chromatographic conditions at once or high throughput purification of your target molecule, our CIM plates offer an answer in either a 24-well or 96-well plate design. We combined our unique CIM monolith technology with a standard multi-well plate design. A wide range of monolith volumes and available CIM chemistries allow for the best fit for your large biomolecule such as viruses, nucleic acids, exosomes, bacteriophages, etc.
- Simplicity of operation: No shaking nor incubation required.
- Easy transfer of the results to a larger scale: Monoliths in well-plates have the same properties as CIMmultus® preparative monoliths, allowing simultaneous screening of multiple conditions and easy scale-up.
