A micropipette is a precise laboratory instrument used to measure and transfer extremely small volumes of liquid, typically in the microliter (µL) range (0.1 µL to 1000 µL). It is commonly used in research, clinical, and pharmaceutical applications. Micropipettes operate by displacing air or using a positive displacement piston to aspirate and dispense exact amounts of fluid.
Contents
Key Characteristics
Function
Accurate measurement and transfer of tiny liquid volumes.
Volume Range
Common micropipette models include:
- P2 (0.2–2 µL)
- P20 (2–20 µL)
- P200 (20–200 µL)
- P1000 (100–1000 µL)
Types
- Variable-volume (adjustable)
- Fixed-volume
- Multi-channel (8, 12, or 16 channels)
Mechanism
Most micropipettes operate using an air-displacement system, where a piston pushes air to aspirate liquid. Some models use positive displacement, in which the piston directly contacts the liquid for increased accuracy with viscous or volatile samples.
Applications
- Molecular biology (PCR, DNA sequencing)
- Biochemistry
- Cell culture
- Diagnostics
- Pharmaceutical and drug development
