Salk Institute Mobile Lab

Gel Electrophoresis

Student Instructions

VWR

Set up

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

Gel Electrophoresis Student Station Set-up

tip container w/tips

waste container

Micro-pipettor

practice sheet in protector

foam epi rack w/ 1 food color tube each: orange, green, purple

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How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Parts of a Micro-pipettor– Make sure a yellow tip is

firmly twisted onto the end of the micro-pipettor

– Adjust the dispense amount to 5 µl (05.0) by turning the knob at the top

Plunger

Amount window

Eject button

Barrel

Yellow tip

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How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Carefully open one of the food color tubes – Don’t let the lid snap back

and splash you!

• To Fill – press down gently with your thumb until you feel the plunger stop. This is STOP 1. While holding the plunger at Stop 1 place the tip into the liquid and release the plunger. This will draw up the precise volume you want.

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• To Dispense – press down hard on the plunger, you’ll pass Stop 1 and continue to STOP 2. This will fully eject the volume from the tip.

• Using your other hand to guide the end of the tip, practice dispensing the 5µl drops – Try to not push down on the

plastic sheet - see if you can hold the pipettor tip just above the paper

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How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Push green button to eject the dirty tip into the waste container and replace with a clean tip

• Always use a clean tip each time!!

Salk Institute Mobile Lab

How to Use a micro-pipettor

• Ready to load a real gel?

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Loading the gel

• Load the food color solutions into the wells on your group’s gel

• Be careful not to poke through the bottom of the wells!