Editorial Article
Friday January 16, 2009
Once upon a time, plasticwares for PCR were the same types of tubes used for any other procedure in the laboratory--standard plastic microfuge tubes floated in a chunk of styrofoam. Nowadays, the marketplace offers plastics optimized for PCR use, as well as plates, holders, and handling equipment customized for the instrument and application. Considerations in choosing the right product range from the technical to the practical. PCR demands virgin plastics, free of RNases, DNases, and other contaminants that can spoil a reaction. The vessel walls should transfer heat as quickly as possible, so that the reaction times are faster. At the same time, for some applications, the plastic needs to be rigid, to withstand robotic handling. On the practical side, most users want plastics that are compatible with a wide range of thermocyclers, are easy to open and close, and are sealable for reaction integrity. Naturally, after all that work, it's helpful to have a design that is easy to handle, and maybe even a place to stick a label. The vendors on this page offer an assortment of PCR plastics to suit almost any need.