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Category Archives: Biotechnology
Crossing Blood-Brain Barrier and In Vivo Delivery of Negatively Charged Biomolecules into Glioblastoma Enabled by Altogen's Nanoparticle In Vivo Transfection Reagent
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – July 19, 2021 – Altogen Biosystems, leading manufacturer of in vivo transfection products, announced today that Altogen’s nanoparticle-based in vivoTransfection reagent (catalog #5031) was demonstrated to be effective for glioblastoma-targeted co-delivery of plasmid DNA (3.7 kb) and chemically modified siRNA. This transfection reagent was used in over 30 research publications, demonstrating highly… Continue Reading
Stable Cell Line
A stable cell line is a population of cells that have been genetically modified to express a specific gene or RNA molecule of interest on a stable basis. Stable cell lines are generated by introducing the gene or RNA molecule into the cells and selecting for cells that have stably incorporated the genetic material and… Continue Reading
How do I increase transfection efficiency?
Transfection is considered as a major laboratory method to integrate protein, RNA and DNA molecules into tissues and cells. Delivery of plasmid DNA molecules containing gene inserts, messenger RNA and small interfering RNA molecules that regulate gene expression (i.e. microRNA, siRNA) into the primary cells and cancer cell lines have been extensively utilized by scientists.… Continue Reading
Nanoparticle In Vivo Transfection Reagent (Altogen)
July 27, 2021 – Altogen Biosystems® is a biotechnology manufacturing company that specializes in the development and testing of optimized cell transfection reagents and kits for both in vitro and in vivo delivery. In 2018 Altogen Biosystems launched the AltoFect transfection reagent formulated for difficult-to-transfect cells (like B-cells, T-cells), and primary cell cultures that are… Continue Reading
Quantitate in vitro anti-proliferation experiments using a metabolic assay (Alamarblue, MTT) vs measuring protein abundance (Sulforhodamine B)
The need to measure cell proliferation effects is vast, including testing the effects of growth factors, novel pharmacological agents, cytotoxicity assessment or investigating cell activation. Cell proliferation assays utilize a stain or substrate to make a correlation between the readout and the number of remaining cells post-treatment. However, the means of assessing cell number varies… Continue Reading
What is Chemical Transfection
Chemical transfection is a method used to deliver exogenous nucleic acids, such as DNA or RNA, into cells using chemical compounds. This method involves the use of transfection reagents, which are chemical compounds that can form complexes with nucleic acids and facilitate their uptake by cells. Chemical transfection typically involves mixing the nucleic acid of… Continue Reading
Number of cells to seed in a 96-well for transfection experiment
Although there are a few generalized rules that can be applied, the optimum number of cells to seed per well needs to be determined for each cell line studied. This is due to differences in each cell line’s size, morphology and doubling rates. The classic initial study should include varying the number of cells seeded… Continue Reading
What is Transfection Reagent
A transfection reagent is a chemical compound used to deliver genetic material, such as DNA or RNA, into cells. Transfection is the process of introducing exogenous nucleic acids into cells, which can allow researchers to study gene function, gene regulation, and protein expression in various cell types. Transfection reagents facilitate the delivery of genetic material… Continue Reading
What is the best antibiotic to use for stable cell selection in mammalian cells?
There is a long list of antibiotics available to researchers when applying selective pressure in the creation of a stable cell line. The choices include zeocin, hygromycin, blasticidin, puromycin and geneticin (G418). Researchers use different antibiotics due to cost or availability in their lab. However, in reference to using antibiotics for the creation of a… Continue Reading
Is it necessary to synchronize cells?
Exponentially growing cultured cells are growing at difference cell cycle stages, termed asynchronous. Scientists are vigilant in their techniques to ensure they are using non-confluent cells prior to their experiments; thus, synchronization is not commonly employed. However, synchronizing your cells can help improve the results of certain cell based assays such as viral integration or… Continue Reading
What is Transient Transfection
Transient transfection is a method used to deliver exogenous nucleic acids, such as DNA or RNA, into cells on a temporary basis. This method involves the use of transfection reagents, which are chemical compounds that can form complexes with nucleic acids and facilitate their uptake by cells. Transient transfection typically involves mixing the nucleic acid… Continue Reading
Celsius – Kelvin Converter
Free Online Celsius-to-Kelvin Calculator Continue Reading
DNA Copy Number Calculator
A DNA copy number calculator is a tool that calculates the copy number of a DNA sequence based on the number of reads obtained from a DNA sequencing experiment. The copy number refers to the number of copies of a specific DNA sequence present in a sample, and it can be used to assess the… Continue Reading
Difference between technical and biological replicates
The basic definitions of technical and biological replicates are as follows: Technical replicates: a test performed on the same sample multiple times; i.e., if there are triplicate non-treated samples, a technical replicate would be testing sample #1 of the non-treated multiple times Biological replicates: a test performed on biologically distinct samples representing an identical time… Continue Reading
cGMP-grade Nanoparticle Transfection Reagent for In Vivo Delivery
Altogen Biosystems is a manufacturer of life science research products that includes in vivo transfection reagents designed for tissue-targeted delivery of biomolecules. Altogen’s Nanoparticle In Vivo Transfection Reagent was launched in 2008 and used in over 30 research publications demonstrating highly efficient delivery of cargo nucleic acids (siRNA, microRNA, mRNA, plasmid DNA, and small proteins)… Continue Reading
Even cell distribution in the 6-well plate instead of a ring of cells around the edges?
Performing cell culture experiments in round well plates can often lead to troubling spatial dispersion of the cells. This can be attributed to culture incubators having high vibrations, non-level incubators or bad practices such as swirling the plate after adding cells. In order to achieve even distribution of cells in the wells of culture plates,… Continue Reading
What is Oncogene
cancer. Oncogenes can be activated or overexpressed in cells, leading to uncontrolled cell growth, tumor formation, and metastasis. Oncogenes are normal genes that encode for proteins involved in regulating cell growth and division. However, mutations or abnormalities in these genes can lead to their activation or overexpression, which can result in the abnormal regulation of… Continue Reading
Low cell viability due to the freezing or thawing of cancer cell lines
Freeze slow, thaw fast. The process of freezing and thawing cancer cell lines requires extreme attention to protocol. For freezing, a good freezing media that contains DMSO is added to the correct number of cells following the manufacturer’s instructions. The vital part of the freezing process is to ensur that the freezing process is slow. … Continue Reading
ssDNA: Mass to Moles Convertor
The ssDNA (single-stranded DNA) mass to moles converter is a tool that calculates the number of moles of ssDNA based on its mass in grams and its length in nucleotides. The conversion involves taking into account the molecular weight of the ssDNA, which depends on the number and type of nucleotides in the sequence. The… Continue Reading
Amino Acid Reference Chart
A reference chart for the 20 human amino acids and associated properties. Code (1): Refers to each amino acid’s single letter code Code (3): Refers to each amino acid’s three letter code pKa: Refers to the negative logarithm of thedissociation constant for the functional group of the amino acid. Also known asthe pH below which… Continue Reading
How to determine mycoplasma contamination?
Mycoplasma contamination is a common occurrence and labs must be vigilant in monitoring and combating contamination issues. Mycoplasma are bacteria extremely difficult to detect in cultured cells by visual inspection. Many labs do not incorporate recurring mycoplasma testing until the lab experiences a contamination incident, at which time cleaning and testing procedures are put in… Continue Reading
What is Cell Line
A cell line is a population of cells that are genetically identical and derived from a single cell through cell division. Cell lines are commonly used in biological and medical research to study various cellular processes, gene expression, and disease mechanisms. Cell lines can be derived from various sources, such as animal tissues, human tissues,… Continue Reading
Codon Chart
A reference codon chart for the three-letter RNA codes and their corresponding amino acids. Below are the nucleotides and their abbreviations, followed by amino acids and their full name, three letter code, and single letter abbreviations. 2nd position 1st position U C A G 3rd position U Phe Ser Tyr… Continue Reading
Biological Buffer Reference Chart
A reference chart for biological buffers, their pKa, effective pH range, and applicable molecular weights. Values based on 25 ° C and 100mM buffer. Buffer (100mM) pKa (25°C) effective pH range Molecular Weight (g/mol) ACES 6.78 6.1-7.5 182.2 Acetate 4.76 3.6-5.6 59.04 ADA 6.59 6.0-7.2 190.2 Ammonia 9.25 8.8-9.9 AMP 9.69 8.7-10.4 89.14 AMPD… Continue Reading
SDS Gel Dyes & Buffers
Recipes for running SDS protein gel electrophoresis, SDS sample loading dye, and Coomassie staining protein gels. 5x SDS loading dye 125mM Tris-HCl, pH 6.75 20% (v/v) glycerol 10% (v/v) 2-mercaptoethanol 4% SDS 0.02% bromophenol blue 5x Running buffer (1L) 72 g glycine 15 g Tris-HCl 5 g SDS Gel Stain 2.5g/L Coomassie Blue 45% (v/v)… Continue Reading
Single Percentage Polyacrylamide Gels
Recipe for casting common single percentage protein polyacrylamide gels. Separation Gel (10mL) 7% 10% 12.5% 15% Stacking Gel (4mL) H2O 5.1 mL 4.1 mL 3.3 mL 2.5 mL 2.1 mL Acrylamide/bis (30%) 2.3 mL 3.3 mL 4.1 mL 5.0 mL 0.8 mL Tris-HCL (1.5M, pH 8.8) 2.5 mL 2.5 mL 2.5 mL 2.5 mL 1… Continue Reading
Pharmacology Abbreviations
A reference table for commonly used pharmacology terms and abbreviations. Drugs ACD Anticonvulsant drug ACR Adverse drug reaction ASA Acetylsalicyclic acid (aspirin) CD Curative dose D, dos Dose, dosage DAW Dispense as written DAWN Drug Abuse Warning Network DIG Digitalis DSB Drug-seeking behavior IND Investigational new drug INH Isoniazid (TB drug) LD Lethal dose… Continue Reading
Medical Assessment Abbreviations
Common medical assessment abbreviations separated into two categories: diagnostic testing and health assessment. ‘Diagnostic testing’ refers to various test types and molecular levels that can be requested to assess and diagnose patients. ‘Health assessment’ refers to the various physical conditions and their descriptions. Diagnostic Testing ac phos, ACP acid phosphatase AFP alpha fetoprotein A/G… Continue Reading
Common Scientific Constants
A reference chart of some common physical and mathematical constants. Physical & Mathematical Constants Atmosphere (standard) atm 101.325 × 103 Pa Atomic mass unit (Dalton) amu 1.661 × 10-24 g Avogadro’s number N 6.022 × 1023/mol Base of natural log e 2.718 Becquerel Bq 1 dps Boltzmann constant k 1.381 × 10-23 J/K… Continue Reading
Units of Measurement Conversions
Reference tables for common units of measurement and their equivalents and conversion factors. Weight 1 g =103 mg = 10-3 kg = 106 µg = 3.53 x 10-2 oz 1 oz = 28.3 g 1 lb = 16 oz = 0.45 kg 1 kg = 103 g = 2.2 lb Fluids 15 ggts = 1… Continue Reading
Scientific Unit Abbreviations
A reference table of scientific units and their abbreviations as well as some prefixes used in the international system of units. Unit Abbreviations A ampere Å angstrom atm atmosphere Bq becquerel C coulomb °C Celsius, centigrade cal calorie cc cubic centimeter Ci, c Curie cm centimeter cpm counts per minute Da dalton dam decameter dB… Continue Reading
Blood and Cardiovascular Abbreviation Charts
Reference and study charts for convenience. Blood-related Abbreviations ABMT autologous bone marrow transplant ABO blood groups AC anticoagulant ACT anticoagulant therapy agg, aggl agglutination AHF antihemophilic factor AIHA autoimmune hemolytic anemia ALL acute lymphocytic leukemia AML acute myelogenous leukemia APA antipernicious anemia (factor) AUL acute undifferentiated leukemia B, bl, bld blood baso basophil bl… Continue Reading
Density Calculator
A density calculator is a tool that calculates the density of a substance based on its mass and volume. Density is the measure of how much mass is contained within a given volume, and it is usually expressed in units of grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³), although other units… Continue Reading
DNA Gel Loading Dye Recipes
Agarose Gel Loading Dye Recipes (6x) When considering which DNA loading dye to use it’s important to select a dye that won’t obscure your sample. i.e. If looking for a product expected to be ~300 bp, bromophenol blue will run with your sample and may obscure it. With 6x dye, load equivalent ratio of 5… Continue Reading
Functional Residual Lung Capacity Calculator
A functional residual lung capacity calculator is a tool that calculates the functional residual capacity (FRC) of an individual’s lungs based on their residual volume and expiratory reserve volume. FRC is the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration, and it is an important parameter in the assessment of lung function… Continue Reading
How to determine cell viability?
Cell viability is a calculation of the number of viable or living cells within the total number of cells. Although there are now commercially available alternatives to the historical method, trypan blue exclusion is the tried and true method commonly used in the lab. Briefly, trypan blue dye is added to a cell suspension and… Continue Reading
What is in vivo
In vivo refers to experiments or studies that are conducted inside a living organism or cell, usually in a laboratory animal or human subject. The term “in vivo” is Latin for “in the living.” In vivo studies can be conducted on a wide range of biological and medical systems, such as diseases, drug development, or… Continue Reading
Specialized Medical Care and Management Abbreviations
Reference tables for the abbreviations for managed care, U.S. agencies and organizations, and specialized areas/facilities for medical purposes. ‘Managed Care’ refers to common abbreviations when dealing with insurance and payments in the medical field. ‘Agencies & Organizations of the United States’ lists the most common/relevant abbreviations. ‘Specialized areas and facilities’ is a reference chart for… Continue Reading
Lung Inspiratory Capacity Calculator
A lung inspiratory capacity calculator is a tool that calculates the inspiratory capacity of an individual’s lungs based on their tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume. Inspiratory capacity is the maximum amount of air that can be inhaled after a normal exhalation, and it is an important parameter in the assessment of lung function and… Continue Reading
Eyes, Ears, Skin Charts
Medical abbreviation chart for the special senses ear & eye and the integumentary system. Ear AC air conduction AD right ear AOM acute otitis media AS left ear AU both ears CAPD central auditory processing disorder dB decibel EE ear & eye ENT ear, nose & throat ET Eustachian tube HD hearing distance HL… Continue Reading
Endocrine and Gastrointestinal Abbreviation Charts
Endocrine system and gastrointestinal system abbreviation study and reference charts. Endocrine System AC adrenal cortex ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone ADH antidiuretic hormone CAH congenital adrenal hyperplasia DI diabetes insipidus DKA diabetic ketoacidosis DM diabetes mellitus FSH follicle-stimulating hormone GH growth hormone HCG human chorionic gonadotropin HGF human growth factor ICSH interstitial cell-stimulating hormone IDDM insulin-dependent… Continue Reading
Percent Yield Calculator
A percent yield calculator is a tool that calculates the percentage yield of a chemical reaction based on the amount of product obtained in the reaction and the theoretical yield of the reaction. The percent yield is a measure of the efficiency of the reaction and is defined as the percentage of the theoretical yield… Continue Reading
What is the benefit of using an electroporation buffer
The process of electroporation exposes the cells to a high-voltage pulse of electricity to disrupt the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane causing the formation of temporary pores. Any charged molecules (e.g. RNA, DNA) are forced into the cells thru the pores. Electroporation buffers are formulations that mimic cellular cytoplasm composition; thus, enhancing pore resealing… Continue Reading
Blood Pressure Chart
A blood pressure chart for interpreting systolic (the measurement of the heart contracting and pumping blood) and diastolic (the measure of when the heart is relaxed) numbers. A systolic pressure of 140+ indicates high blood pressure, regardless of diastolic pressure A diastolic pressure of 90+ indicates high blood pressure, regardless of systolic pressure A systolic… Continue Reading
Changing transfection plate format from a 6-well to a 96-well format
Moving a transfection reaction from a 96-well plate to a 6-well plate, or vice versa, and wanting to achieve identical results is not a trivial pursuit. It is well known that lipoplexes adhere to the plastic surfaces of cell culture wells. As one can conclude, this decreases the amount of complexed material freely available to… Continue Reading
Where to purchase cancer cell lines?
Cancer cell lines must be purchased from trustworthy vendors (i.e. ATCC, Sigma-Aldrich, DSMZ), along with signing licenses and agreements. These large cell bank vendors have established good quality control processes, document controls and facilities that are able to offer well characterized cell lines. Continue Reading
Caspase-3/7 cell line screen for test compound
Caspase 3/7 activity is a cell based assay that measures apoptosis. Commercially available reagents enable high-throughput screening of apoptosis inducing test compounds or contract research organizations can readily perform the compound screening. A brief overview of the protocol is as follows: Cells in logarithmic growth are seeded in a 96-well plate Depending on the scope… Continue Reading
Tissue culture using flasks vs dishes for cell lines
Flasks and dishes that are cell culture coated are both acceptable consumables to use for cell culture. Employing sterile techniques allows an experienced scientist to use either item, with pros and cons listed here for each system. Filtered Flasks Narrow opening translates to a lesser chance of contaminant entering the flask Ideal for long term… Continue Reading
Cell passage: How to correctly dilute and split cultured cells
There are many different cell culture techniques. Utilizing correct cell passaging methods is important to keep cell line in exponential growth curve, therefore making it a good model as a host for transfection experiments. “Cell passage” is a term used by other scientists to demonstrate the following process: Wash cells with PBS Detach cells from… Continue Reading
How to seed cultured cells for single clone selection?
Single clone selection is necessary when performing stable cell line production or drug resistant cells. The goal is to dilute cells down to a concentration such that when they are plated in a dish there is a single cell per well. The single cell clone is expanded by continually increasing the well size until freezer… Continue Reading
How to ship cells as a live culture?
Shipping cells to collaborators can be accomplished by either sending them a frozen aliquot on dry ice or by sending a live culture. Sending a live culture has the advantages of the cells continuing their exponential growth to aid in timing of experiments. This is accomplished by completely filling the flask with culture medium, closing… Continue Reading
What is the best method to detach cultured cells?
Cultured adherent cells routinely need to be detached and collected for counting or passaging. Detaching cells can be accomplished by either mechanical or enzymatic methods. Mechanical: cell scraping is a good option for cells that are sensitive to trypsin but can cause damage to cells; also can be used when collecting cellular components for western… Continue Reading
Lung Vital Capacity Calculator
A lung vital capacity calculator is a tool that calculates the vital capacity of an individual’s lungs based on their age, gender, height, and weight. Vital capacity is the maximum amount of air that can be exhaled after taking a deep breath, and it is an important parameter in the assessment of lung function and… Continue Reading
Moles of ssDNA ends Calculator
The Moles of ssDNA ends calculator is a tool that calculates the number of moles of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) ends based on the amount of ssDNA in moles and the number of ends present. This calculation is important in various applications in molecular biology and biotechnology, such as cloning, sequencing, and gene expression analysis. The… Continue Reading
What is in vitro
In vitro refers to experiments or studies that are conducted outside of a living organism or cell, usually in a laboratory setting. The term “in vitro” is Latin for “in glass,” which refers to the use of glassware, such as test tubes, petri dishes, and flasks, to conduct experiments. In vitro studies can be conducted… Continue Reading
Microscope Magnification Calculator
A microscope magnification calculator is a tool that calculates the magnification of a microscope based on the characteristics of the lenses and the eyepiece used. Magnification is the degree to which an object is enlarged when viewed through a microscope, and it is a critical parameter in microscopy for visualizing and studying microscopic structures and… Continue Reading
Actual Yield Calculator
An actual yield calculator is a tool that calculates the actual yield of a chemical reaction based on the amount of product obtained in the reaction and the theoretical yield of the reaction. The actual yield is the amount of product that is actually obtained in a chemical reaction, while the theoretical yield is the… Continue Reading
Total Lung Capacity Calculator
A total lung capacity calculator is a tool that calculates the total lung capacity of an individual based on their vital capacity and residual volume. Total lung capacity is the maximum amount of air that can be held in the lungs after taking a deep breath, and it is an important parameter in the assessment… Continue Reading
Moles to Grams Calculator
A moles to grams calculator is a tool that converts the number of moles of a substance to its corresponding mass in grams. In chemistry, a mole is a unit used to express the amount of a substance, and it is defined as the amount of a substance that contains the same number of particles… Continue Reading
Medical Profession Abbreviations
A reference chart of professional designations in the medical field. ARNP Advaced Registered Nurse Practitioner ATR-BC Registered Art Therapist-Board Certified CCT Certified Cardiographic Technician CDA Certified Dental Assistant CDT Certified Dental Technician CMA Certified Medical Assistant CNMT Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist CO Certified Orthotist COMT Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist COT Certified Ophthalmic Technician COTA Certified… Continue Reading
Buffer Capacity Calculator
A buffer capacity calculator is a tool that calculates the buffer capacity of a solution based on its concentration, pH, and acid dissociation constant (Ka). Buffer capacity is a measure of the ability of a buffer solution to resist changes in pH when an acid or base is added to it. The formula for calculating… Continue Reading
Celsius – Kelvin Calculator
A Celsius to Kelvin converter is a tool that converts temperatures from the Celsius scale to the Kelvin scale, or vice versa. The Celsius and Kelvin scales are two commonly used temperature scales in the world. The Kelvin scale is an absolute temperature scale, which means that it starts at absolute zero (-273.15 °C) and… Continue Reading
Celsius – Fahrenheit Calculator
A Celsius to Fahrenheit converter is a tool that converts temperatures from the Celsius scale to the Fahrenheit scale, or vice versa. The Celsius and Fahrenheit scales are two commonly used temperature scales in the world. The formula for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit is: F = (C × 1.8) + 32 Where: The formula for… Continue Reading
Wavelength Calculator
A wavelength calculator is a tool that calculates the wavelength of a wave based on its frequency and speed. In physics, wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs of a wave. It is usually represented by the Greek letter lambda (λ) and is measured in units of meters, centimeters, or nanometers. The… Continue Reading
Impulse Calculator
An impulse calculator is a tool that calculates the impulse of an object based on its mass, velocity, and time of impact or interaction. In physics, impulse is defined as the change in momentum of an object caused by an external force over a period of time. The formula for impulse is: Impulse = Force… Continue Reading
Density Calculator
A density calculator is a tool that calculates the density of a substance based on its mass and volume. The density of a substance is the measure of how much mass is contained within a given volume. It is usually expressed in units of grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³),… Continue Reading
Cardiac Index Calculator
A Cardiac Index (CI) calculator is a tool that calculates the cardiac index of a person based on their cardiac output and body surface area. The cardiac index is a measure of the cardiac output adjusted for body size and is used to assess cardiac function and output in a clinical setting. The formula for… Continue Reading
Body Surface Area Calculator
A Body Surface Area (BSA) calculator is a tool that calculates the surface area of a person’s body based on their height and weight. BSA is a measure of the total surface area of a person’s skin and is commonly used in medicine to calculate drug dosages, assess burns and other skin injuries, and estimate… Continue Reading
BMI calculator
A BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator is a tool that calculates the BMI of an individual based on their weight and height. The BMI is a measure of body fat based on a person’s weight and height, and it is commonly used to assess whether someone is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. The formula… Continue Reading
Pressure Calculator
A pressure calculator is a tool that calculates the pressure of a gas or fluid based on its force and area. In physics, pressure is defined as the force applied per unit area and is usually measured in units of pascals (Pa), pounds per square inch (psi), or atmospheres (atm). The formula for calculating pressure… Continue Reading
Molarity Calculator
A molarity calculator is a tool that calculates the molarity of a solution based on the amount of solute and volume of solvent used. Molarity is a measure of the concentration of a solution and is defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. The formula for calculating molarity is: Molarity… Continue Reading