Tissue grinders produce homogenates by a combination of shearing and compression actions. The tissue sample is progressively ground (sheared) into smaller pieces at the rounded end of the pestle as the spinning pestle is lowered into the tube. As the pestle is forced lower into the tube, the sample is displaced and forced between the straight outside wall of the pestle and the inside wall of the tube, compressing the tissue cells until they rupture. When the tube is pulled away from the pestle, a slight vacuum is created that pulls the sample back past the compression area, resulting in an additional homogenization stroke. The degree of homogenization is controlled by the clearance between the pestle’s and tube’s cylindrical section, the rotational speed of the pestle, and the number of compression strokes made.This tissue grinder is designed to retain a high percentage of cell nuclei and mitochondria in soft tissues or from cell cultures. In operation, the pestle ball is encircled in liquid, which avoids heat buildup by reducing friction. This grinder is ideal for enzyme studies. The initial grinding is performed using the "loose" pestle. The grinding process is completed using the "tight" pestle. This grinder is used by moving the pestle up and down, and works best with cell suspensions or very soft tissue.
Features & Benefits
Manufactured from borosilicate glass 3.3
Retains high percentage of cell nuclei and mitochondria in soft tissues or from cell cultures
Tube has large reservoir and pouring lip making decanting easy
Pestle ball encircled in liquid avoids heat build-up by reducing friction
Contains both loose and tight pestles
Loose pestle clearance range: 0.089 - 0.14mm
Tight pestle clearance range: 0.025 - 0.076mm
Unit can be autoclaved / sterilized to prevent cross contamination between samples