Microplate reader

Microplate Reader

A Microplate Reader also known as a Microplate Photometer or Plate Reader is a laboratory instrument designed to detect biological, chemical or physical events of samples in microtiter plates. Microplate readers are widely used in research, drug discovery, bioassay validation, quality control and manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry and academic organizations.

History

The concept of the microplate reader dates back to the early 1950s when Dr. Gyula Takátsy developed the first microtiter plate. The invention of the microplate reader followed shortly after, revolutionizing the field of high-throughput screening and analysis.

Function

Microplate readers function by shining a beam of light through the bottom of the microtiter plate and measuring the amount of light absorbed or emitted by the sample. The intensity of the light is then used to calculate the concentration of the specific analyte in the sample.

Types of Microplate Readers

There are several types of microplate readers, each with their own unique capabilities and applications. These include:

• Absorbance Microplate Readers - These measure the amount of light absorbed by a sample. They are commonly used in ELISA assays, protein quantification, and microbial growth studies.

• Fluorescence Microplate Readers - These measure the amount of light emitted by a sample after it has been excited by a specific wavelength of light. They are commonly used in DNA, RNA, and protein quantification assays.

• Luminescence Microplate Readers - These measure the amount of light produced by a chemical reaction within a sample. They are commonly used in cell viability and cytotoxicity assays, as well as reporter gene assays.

Applications

Microplate readers have a wide range of applications in various fields including Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, and Cell Biology. They are used in research and clinical laboratories for assays such as ELISA, PCR, Cell Proliferation, Cytotoxicity, Calcium Signaling, and Protein Quantification.

See Also

• Microtiter Plate
• ELISA
• PCR
• Cell Proliferation
• Cytotoxicity
• Calcium Signaling
• Protein Quantification

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