Mikropipetillä

Mikropipetillä is a Swedish term referring to the use of a micropipette. A micropipette is a laboratory instrument used to measure and transfer very small amounts of liquid, typically in the microliter range. These instruments are crucial in various scientific fields, including molecular biology, chemistry, genetics, and clinical diagnostics, where precise handling of minute volumes is essential for experiments and analyses.

Micropipettes operate on the principle of positive or air displacement to draw up and dispense liquids. They consist of a plunger mechanism, a volume setting dial, and a disposable tip. By adjusting the dial, the user can set the desired volume to be transferred. When the plunger is depressed and then released, the pipette draws the set volume of liquid into the tip. The liquid is then dispensed by depressing the plunger again.

There are several types of micropipettes, including fixed-volume and adjustable-volume models. Adjustable-volume micropipettes are more common and allow for a range of volumes to be set. They are further categorized by their volume range, such as P10, P20, P100, P200, and P1000, indicating the maximum volume they can aspirate. Proper technique is vital when using a micropipette to ensure accuracy and reproducibility, including pre-wetting the tip, aspirating and dispensing at the correct speed, and ensuring a proper seal with the tip. Regular calibration and maintenance are also important to guarantee their precision.