Products: MicroTools™
MicroTools™ are used for manipulation and measurement of samples with sizes from a few micrometers to 1 mm in protein and small molecule crystallography, cell biology, histology, clinical diagnostics, entomology, archaeology and art restoration.
Unlike other microtools, Mitegen's patent-pending MicroTools™ have tips made from soft, flexible microfabricated polymer films. The curvature of the tips gives them rigidity, but they can still easily be flexed to, e.g., slide flat along the well bottom in a multiwell plate, simplifying sample retrieval. These tools are far less likely to damage fragile samples than metal microtools, and are optically and X-ray transparent.
Each tool is mounted on a 0.025"/ 0.64 mm diameter nonmagnetic solid stainless steel rod. Hold them in a standard 0.7 mm mechanical pencil (included with each kit), or in a micromanipulator for easy handling.
MicroTools™ Kit 1 , our original kit, contains 20 tools for sample manipulation and measurement. Kits 2 and 3 are made from a thicker polymer and are more durable, and replace Kit 1 in all applications except those for which minimizing X-ray scatter from the tools is important.
MicroTools™ Kit 2, contains 20 tools for common sample manipulations. These include dislodging samples from slides and plates, separating samples, holding and transferring samples during soaks, and cutting protein skins, gels, lipid phases, and soft tissues.
MicroTools™ Kit 3, contains 20 tools for sample measurements. Two tool designs allow measurement of linear sample dimensions, and two allow measurement of both linear and angular dimensions. Use them to accurately measure small and fragile samples, including those contained in optically distorting liquid drops.
Features- Easy manipulation and measurement of samples from 1 mm to less than 10 μm.
- Curved tips give a convenient scoop-like action for retrieving samples.
- Rigid yet thin construction allows tips to flex and bend and to slide flat between a substrate and sample.
- Risk of sample damage is greatly reduced compared with metal microtools, needles and pipette tips.
- Excellent tip visibility at large inclination angles facilitates manipulations and measurements in, e.g., small wells.
