GraVitri Plunge Cooler Series
Vitrification, Simplified.
Proven Plunge Freezing
Built on a time-tested design developed in collaboration with the MRC LMB and Dr. Christopher Russo, this cryo-EM manual plunge cooler has reliably enabled researchers worldwide to vitrify thousands of cryo-EM grids for high-resolution data collection.
Adaptable Cryo-EM Plunger
The GraVitri series is a truly modular cryo-EM grid plunger and vitrification platform. It easily evolves with new modules and accessories, ensuring your investment adapts seamlessly to your lab’s growing and changing experimental needs.
Accessible Sample Preparation
Achieve high-quality cryo-EM grid preparation and vitrification with minimal investment. With base models starting below capital equipment costs, the GraVitri series offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing your team to maximize both performance and value.
Proven Plunge Freezing
The GraVitri Plunge Cooler Series delivers the consistent vitrification quality required for high-end structural techniques, proven by successful data collection across:
- High-Resolution Single Particle Analysis (SPA)
- Cryo-Electron Tomography (Cryo-ET)
- Microcrystal Electron Diffraction (MicroED) and more!
Customer Testimonials
"The MiTeGen GraVitri Standard Plunge Cooler has proven easy to use and highly effective. With only a short amount of training, our lab was able to begin producing grids, and the quality has continued to improve with practice. It has also been an important tool for teaching and demonstration in local workshops, providing easy access to Cryo-EM methods in an area where comparable resources are scarce."
Cody Brazel
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Accessible Sample Preparation
Designed for ultimate accessibility and affordability, the GraVitri Basic and Standard units simplify the cryo-EM plunge freezing workflow and reduce overhead. Since this cryo-EM manual plunge cooler series requires no power or external connections, setup is instant, maintenance is minimal, and operational costs are significantly lower. The system is modular for straightforward expansion as your science grows.
*Ethane cryostat and temperature controller sold separately
Adaptable Cryo-EM Plunger
The GraVitri Series features an advanced modular design, allowing your initial investment to easily grow and evolve with the changing scope of your cryo-EM research. By simply integrating new modules and accessories, you can precisely configure this cryo-EM grid freezer to meet specialized experimental needs without replacing the core unit. From custom enclosures for hands-on humidified cryo-EM grid preparation to temperature-controlled enclosures tailored for cryo-ET plunge freezing, we can engineer solutions for your lab.
Design your Advanced Gravitri Plunge Cooler now!
GraVitri Basic Plunge Cooler
Reliable CryoEM Grid Freezing
This base model serves as a highly dependable CryoEM grid freezer, providing fast plunge speeds without risk of grid or tweezer damage.
Economical Plunging
Made with budget in mind and priced to be accessible to every lab, this unit promises high-quality EM samples and reliable Cryo-EM plunge freezing at a significantly lower cost than competing automated products.
GraVitri Standard Plunge Cooler
A Dependable Cryo-EM Grid Cooler
This standard cryo-EM manual plunge cooler reliably provides fast plunge speeds without risk of grid or tweezer damage, featuring a humidified environment that optimizes cryo-EM grid preparation by precluding excess sample drying.
Balanced Plunger
Building on our Base Model, this design balances user-friendliness, ergonomic function, and cost to deliver an affordable system for superior cryo-EM grid plunge freezing.
Straightforward sample prep you can trust
Our unique thumb screw fixture accommodates a wide range of tweezer types, and firmly holds the grid through the entirety of Cryo-EM grid preparation.
Blotting is performed using a blotting paper round affixed to a spring-backed blotting rod for full control of sample blotting to achieve optimal vitrification.
The foot pedal initiates cryo-EM grid plunging via a flexible steel transmission cable, releasing the plunge rod to accelerate to a terminal plunge speed of 2 m/s. Compared to competing products, our durable, tried and true design supports a sub-millimeter stopping distance with minimal vibration, ensuring delicate grids and tweezers remain intact post plunge.
Unlike other cryo-EM manual plunge cooler systems, the simple thumb screw is untightened to easily release the tweezers in liquid nitrogen, not liquid ethane. This provides a larger area for the tweezers to be removed, substantially reducing the likelihood of crashed grids.
After pipetting your sample onto the grid, concentration of protein sample by evaporation is slowed as water vapor from the humidification sponge fills the enclosure. Humidity levels can be monitored via the integrated humidity monitor.
Directly prior to cryo-EM grid plunge freezing, the user gently slides open the bottom enclosure hatch, designed with a replaceable hatch foil to prevent tweezer tip damage in the event of user error.
Designed with user friendliness in mind, our slotted base plate greatly simplifies rapid grid transfer from ethane to nitrogen, ensuring vitreous samples do not devitrify.
Grid boxes are stored under liquid nitrogen in aluminum grid box holders close to the air-liquid interface, enabling easy access and a clear line of sight when storing fragile grids.
Technical Specifications
| Basic | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 21 lbs. (9.53 kg) | 25 lbs. (11.3 kg) |
| Dimension | 11.8" x 11.8" x 31.5" (30cm x 30cm x 80cm) | 11.8" x 11.8" x 31.5" (30cm x 30cm x 80cm) |
| Typical plunge speed | 2 m/s | 2 m/s |
| Foot pedal cable release length | 72" | 72" |
| Typical enclosure humidity | N/A | >85% |
Included Components
| Basic | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Gravitri Basic Plunge Cooler (1x) | ||
| Foot Pedal Release Mechanism (1x) | ||
| Slotted Base Plate for Dewar Movement (1x) | ||
| Dumont no. 5 tweezers (1x) | ||
| Acrylic base plate insert (1x) | ||
| Passive humidification enclosure (1x) | ||
| Spring-backed blotting rod (1x) | ||
| Whatman No. 2 blotting rounds (50x) | ||
| Humidification sponge (2x) | ||
| Ergonomic Hand/Arm rest (1x) |
GraVitri Advanced Plunge Cooler
Looking for even more function? The GraVitri Advanced model is a completely customizable cryo-EM grid plunger built upon the GraVitri Basic Plunge Cooler design shown on the right. In addition to the standard customizations outlined below, we offer custom engineering services to ensure we deliver a system tailored to your lab’s unique experimental needs, including highly specific cryo-ET and microED plunge freezing workflows! See standard customization options for the advance GraVitri unit below.
Custom Enclosures for Grid Preparation
Our sample enclosures house the sample after it is applied to the EM grid, and can be tailored to meet your application’s specific sample prep needs. We have previously manufactured enclosures for both hot (22 ºC-60 ºC) and cold (4 ºC-22 ºC) temperature control, and for more active humidification.
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Accessories and Complementary Products
Ethane Cryostat and Temperature Controller
Precision temperature control of your liquid ethane.
Details
Standard Ethane Dewar
Simple, standard design for reliable Cryo-EM grid plunging into liquid ethane.
Details
Blotting Paper
Custom-cut blotting paper optimized for GraVitri cryo-EM manual plunge cooler systems.
Details
Upgrade Your GraVitri Plunge Cooler
Have an existing unit you would like to build upon? If so, please press the button below to tell us more!
Upgrade a new or existing Gravitri Plunge Cooler