Cell disruption

A common laboratory-scale mechanical method for cell disruption uses glass, ceramic, or steel beads, 0.1–2 mm (0.004–0.08 in) in diameter, mixed with a sample suspended in an aqueous solution.

First developed by Tim Hopkins in the late 1970s, the sample and bead mix is subjected to high level agitation by stirring or shaking.

The method, often called "bead beating", works well for all types of cellular material - from spores to animal and plant tissues.

In the simplest example of the method, an equal volume of beads are added to a cell or tissue suspension in a test tube and the sample is vigorously mixed on a common laboratory vortex mixer.

In most laboratories, bead beating is done in batch sizes of one to twenty-four sealed, plastic vials or centrifuge tubes.

The sample and tiny beads are agitated at about 2000 oscillations per minute in specially designed reciprocating shakers driven by high power electric motors.

This technique, known as cryopulverization, is based on the fact that biological samples containing a significant fraction of water become brittle at extremely cold temperatures.

[4] The technique can be done by using a mortar and pestle cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures, but use of this classic apparatus is laborious and sample loss is often a concern.

Advantages of this technique are higher yields of proteins and nucleic acids from small, hard tissue samples - especially when used as a preliminary step to mechanical or chemical/solvent cell disruption methods mentioned above.

[5][6] While French Presses have become a staple item in many microbiology laboratories, their production has been largely discontinued, leading to a resurgence in alternate applications of similar technology.

Although pneumatic machines are typically lower cost, their performance can be unreliable due to variations in the processing pressure throughout the stroke of the air pump.

One such example is Constant Systems, who have recently shown that their Cell Disruptors not only match the performance of a traditional French Press, but also that they are striving towards attaining the same results at a much lower power.

PCT is a patented, enabling technology platform that uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient and ultra-high levels (up to 90,000 psi) to safely, conveniently and reproducibly control the actions of molecules in biological samples, e.g., the rupture (lysis) of cells and tissues from human, animal, plant, and microbial sources, and the inactivation of pathogens.

The Microfluidizer technology was licensed from a company called Arthur D. Little and was first developed and utilized in the 1980s, initially starting as a tool for liposome creation.

By using microchannels with fixed geometry, and an intensifier pump, high shear rates are generated that rupture the cells.

Once released, subcellular substances are not exposed to continued attrition that might denature the sample or produce unwanted damage.