Pumps

With the first approved human gene therapy trial in 1989¹ (Rosenberg, et.al.), gene therapy has come a long way in modern medicine and is making inroads in clinics and the market in general.^2,3 2017 was an important year for gene therapy when Luxurna, the first human gene therapy drug for an inherited retinal dystrophy, was approved by Food and Drug Administration (USA).⁴ Now several drugs are undergoing clinical trials. With an estimated $11 billion (USD) market in the next 10 years, both clinical trials and the pharmaceutical industry are expected to benefit immensely from gene therapy.⁵

With improved use of viral vectors (Adeno-associated virus (AAV), adenovirus, lentivirus, retrovirus, HSV) or non-viral vectors, research and clinical trials on the development of therapeutic genes have witnessed great success. Viral vectors have been employed for the treatment of various diseases such as metabolic...more

The type of pump you choose for your fluid handling will largely depend on your laboratory application. In this article, we will compare the popular pump types.

Microinjectors

WPI Microinjectors use carefully regulated air pres­sure for injecting cells with fluid. Injected volumes range from picoliters to nanoliters. The port supplies positive pressure for high-pressure ejection. The pressure port maintains a low positive “compensation” pres­sure to the injecting pipette between injection pulses to prevent fluid up­take through...more

First, let's consider volumes.

• A milliliter (mL) is one thousandth the volume of a liter (L) or 10^-3L
• A microliter (µL) is one thousandth the volume of a mL (10^-6L)
• A nanoliter (nL) is one thousandth the volume of a µL (10^-9L)
• A picoliter (pL) is one thousandth the volume of a nL (10^-12L)

This is graphically represented at the right. Notice that the mL is one trillion times larger than the picoliter. The table (right) shows that the side of a cube with a volume of 1mL is 1cm long. Likewise, the side of a cube with a volume of 1pL is 10µm long. Just for comparison, it shows that the diameter of a sphere with a volume of 1mL is 1.24cm, and the volume of a sphere with a volume of 1pL is 12.4µm.

With these volume comparisons in mind, lets consider some of the available options for microinjection pumps.

Parts List

Micro4™ from World Precision Instruments is an easy-to-use but very capable controller for WPI's Nanoliter Injector and UMP3 UltraMicropPump.

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The Nanoliter injector is a micro-processor controlled injection system that uses direct piston displacement. The collet assembly (exploded view) is shown in the image below. The glass pipette fits into the white, plastic sleeve (spacer). When the collet is screwed in place securely, the black rubber washers are compressed and hold the glass firmly in place.

Nanoliter 2000

A side view of the assembled Nanoliter injector is shown below.

Nanoliter 2010 

As the plunger is depressed, it pushes into the glass to expel the liquid in the pipette. Eventually, the diameter of the plunger matches that...more

When it comes to setting up microinjection systems, the options appear endless. The pictures below give some broad suggestions on how you might set up your own system. Keep in mind that many parts are interchangeable depending on your needs or preferences.

In general, you will need a stereo microscope on a stand, a light source, one or two micromanipulators with stands, and one or two injection systems. The following images show various setups for microinjection, and all the WPI part numbers are included for easy reference.

Remember, when you set up your own system, choose the parts that fit your needs. For example:

• M10 or the M9 magnetic base could be used.
• PZMIV...more