With the advent of the 1536 well microplates by Greiner Labortechnik, Corning and now Nalge Nunc, V&P Scientific has launched the first stainless steel 1536 Pin Replicators to transfer nl volumes of liquids to and from these plates. The VP 838 Replicator has 0.457 mm diameter stainless steel pins with flat tips that deliver ~20 nl in a liquid to liquid transfer. (For liquid to membrane or dry plate, smaller volumes will be transferred from the hanging drop on the pin tip, see complete explanation on the FAQ page)

We have also developed a new spring loaded Registration Frame and Replicator Housing System (VP 836A) that allows the user to register 1536 Pin Replicators (VP 838) to a LIBRARY COPIER™ for the Nalge Nunc and Greiner 1536 microplates (VP 881), another for the Corning 1536 microplate (VP 881A), and another LIBRARY COPIER™ to register the Replicators to glass plates or nylon membranes (VP 832) for blotting or spotting. This precise registration system ensures that the Replicator pins are centered in each of the wells and onto precise locations on membranes or glass plates.

Click here for a list of published articles that cite using the products on this page.

The stainless steel pins in the VP 838FP Series Replicators come in diameters of 0.229 mm (FP9), 0.457mm (FP1) and 0.787mm (FP3) and will deliver ~4 nl, ~20 nl and ~80 nl respectively in liquid to liquid transfers. These small pin diameters eliminates "well wall clearance" problems encountered with larger diameter pins with some brands of 1536 well microplates where the center to center spacing of the wells has shrunk in the molding process.

Each 50.8mm long pin is fixtured inside a 1.58mm diameter tube that is 31.75mm long, thus strengthening the pin design and adding mass to enhance the floating characteristics.  Each pin slides ("floats") through holes in the lower and upper float plates as it touches on the bottom of the microplate well or the gridding surface.  This floating action assures that each of the pins will touch and deliver its droplet even if the microplate is warped or the blotting/gridding surface is not level or smooth.

The VP 838FP series Replicators are designed to be used manually or with a robotic work station. Just fax us a drawing of the mating feature on your robot and we will incorporate that design into the mating plate.

The 25.4 mm alignment distance between the lower and upper float plates insures that pin to pin spacing remains true at 2.25 mm. The evenness of this spacing is demonstrated in the blot to the right.

You need to choose whether you will be using the fixed pin system (VP 838) or the floating pin system with or without a robotic work station (VP 838FP Series Replicator).  If you select the VP 838 you will need to determine which 1536 microplate you will be using (Nalge Nunc, Greiner or Corning) so you can select one or more of the appropriate LIBRARY COPIERS to register the Replicator to the microplate (VP 881 - for Nalge Nunc and Greiner microplates or VP 881A - Corning  microplates).  If you want to make blots on membranes or glass then include the VP 882 and you have a complete system.  To use the VP 838FP Series Replicators manually you will need to purchase a LIBRARY COPIER™ to register the replicator to microplate of your choice, VP 381N for Nalge Nunc and Greiner and VP 381F for Corning microplates.  The VP 838FP Series Replicators can be used with a VP 382 to make blots on membranes.  

As more microplate manufactures introduce 1536 well microplates we will make LIBRARY COPIERS™ to register both the fixed and Floating Replicator versions. 

All of the above pins can also be obtained with a hydrophobic/lipophobic coating to reduce non-specific binding by proteins and lipoproteins.  Just adding an H to the above pin designates that pin as a hydrophobic/lipophobic coated pin.  This coating is metallic and only a few angstroms thick so it does not effect the basic dimensions of the pins.  These coated pins are very useful in handling solutions with proteins or lipids that may stick to naked stainless steel.  Click on the following hyperlink for more details on the nature of our hydrophobic/lipophobic coating and the coating process.

The most important aspect of using pin tools is to start with clean pins and then keep them clean so they will consistently deliver the same volume.  We recommend our Pin Cleaning Solution (VP 110) to clean the pin of protein and other residue buildup before you start an assay.  To quickly and efficiently remove the previous transfer from the pin we have a wide variety of manual and robot wash reservoirs ranging from disposable polypropylene reservoirs (VP 576D) to reusable wash reservoirs, flowing reservoirs and fountains to clean  96, 384 and 1536 pin tools.  The robot wash stations are also adapted so the blotting station is part of the washing station thus reducing the cleaning cycle time and the number of robot stations required for the cleaning process.  We also have other independent blotting stations (VP 540D) and VP 522.

Integral to the cleaning process of all pins is the blotting step between baths.  Lint particles in the slots or on pin tips, from standard paper towels, will interfere with the loading and unloading of liquid.  We have solved this problem.  The VP 540DB blotting system is a tray with the standard microplate foot print that contains a super absorbent polypropylene pad covered by a Lint Free Blotting Paper.  We strongly recommend that you use this or our other lint free blotting systems.