fastprep

FastPrep is a brand of mechanical tissue and cell disruption devices developed by MP Biomedicals. The most common products in the line are the FastPrep-24 and FastPrep-96 homogenizers, designed for rapid bead beating of samples in microcentrifuge tubes. These instruments use a high-frequency orbital motion or linear oscillation that agitates tubes containing biological material and ceramic or stainless steel beads, producing cell lysis and homogenization. Users select a protocol composed of cycles and dwell times; the device repeats cycles to achieve the desired level of disruption. The process generates heat, so cooling or short cycles may be employed to prevent overheating.

FastPrep devices are widely used in molecular biology workflows to extract nucleic acids, proteins, or other macromolecules from tough samples such as plants, bacteria, fungi, or environmental materials. They are compatible with common extraction kits and downstream analyses such as PCR, sequencing, or proteomics. The system is valued for speed, reproducibility, and the ability to process multiple samples in parallel, especially in high-throughput settings.

Limitations include potential sample cross-contamination unless proper seals are used, need for appropriate beads consistent with tissue type, and the requirement for maintenance and calibration. While 'FastPrep' commonly refers to MP Biomedicals devices, the term is sometimes used informally to describe rapid bead-beating methods. In practice, FastPrep remains a recognizable option for rapid sample preparation in research and some clinical laboratories under appropriate guidelines.