Page Q1: Latex Spheres for Calibration, Cytology and Immunology & Magnetic Separators

MICRO PARTICLES
ProSciTech is the sole agent for Spherotech Inc in Australia and New Zealand, but can supply anywhere. Spherotech is an ISO 9001 registered company that produces a large range of micro particles for micro-calibration, standardisation, immune and other reactions.
Highly uniform latex particles are available from 0.05 to 18µm in various concentrations and with various coatings or properties, including antigens, ferromagnetic, fluorescent and non-fluorescent colours.

This page contains information on Spherotech products, including an outline of product ranges and general information. A near complete listing of Spherotech products is on the linked catalogue number /price page. Note that we prefix Spherotech's catalogue numbers with a 'Q' (previously was 'S').
In addition to listed products, special batches can be prepared quickly and economically - email us for a quotation. Micro particles

Our prices are very similar to American prices, when converted to A$ and we supply free into store within Australia and to New Zealand; Spherotech orders above A$300.00 are freight free to any destination. Please refrain from doubling price request to ProSciTech and Spherotech. Delivery is ex our stock for common products and 2 - 4 weeks for others.

The lower concentration (0.1%) plain latex spheres for size calibration in electron and light microscopy are featured on page S2.

Note:

These particle solutions should be refrigerated whenever possible, but never frozen.
Spherotech's catalogue numbers are preceded by a "Q" - to fit into our chapter.

Spherotech information:

400nm cross-linked polystyrene particles

POLSTYRENE PARTICLES
Polystyrene particles are prepared by an emulsion polymerisation process. These particles have been pre-cleaned using either mixed bed ion exchange or by centrifugation. Further cleaning by the user is usually not required. The size of particles is determined by either NICOMP Laser Particle Sizer or visually by Scanning Electron Microscope.

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

FUNCTIONALIZED POLYSTYRENE PARTICLES
We can supply a wide variety of uniform particles, ranging in size from 0.05µm to 15µm, with surface functional groups such as carboxyl or amino groups for covalent coupling of proteins or other ligands.

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

COATED POLYSTYRENE PARTICLES
Polystyrene particles coated with various antibodies and ligands are available

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

Particles with an antigen coating include a $42 AQIS (quarantine) inspection fee; overseas orders may be shipped direct and we could thus avoid this tax and offer a lower price.

FLUORESCENT PARTICLES
Fluorescent particles with single or multiple fluorophores are available in various sizes, emission spectra and combinations suitable for uses in flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, phagocytosis studies and cell labelling.

Rainbow Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing a mixture of the same size particles with different fluorescence intensities. 10e7/ml, 1x5 ml

Rainbow Fluorescent Particles, in dropper bottle containing single population of Rainbow Fluorescent Particles. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

Yellow Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing a mixture of the same size particles with different fluorescence intensities.

Rainbow Linear Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing a mixture of the same size particles with different fluorescent intensity for use in the linear scale of flow cytometer. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

Allophycocyanin Calibration Particles, in two dropper bottles. One contains blank particles, the other a mixture of same-size particles, but different fluorescence intensity. For use in allophycocyanin channel.

Blank Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing Blank particles for flow cytometer calibration. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

FUNCTIONALIZED FLUORESCENT PARTICLES
Most usefully, various fluorescent particles with a carboxyl surface are available for covalent coupling.

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

COATED FLUORESCENT PARTICLES
Spherotech manufactures various fluorescent particles coated with antibody or avidin.

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

CALIBRATION PARTICLES FOR FLOW CYTOMETRY
The Calibration Particles are designed for routine calibration of flow cytometer. The Rainbow Particles contains a mixture of fluorophores that enable the Rainbow Calibration Particles to be excited at any wavelength from 365nm to 650nm which allows the calibration of all channels in the flow cytometer with the same set of particles. The Rainbow Calibration Particles contain a set of several similar size particles with different fluorescence intensities all contained in a convenient dropper bottle. A few drops of the particles from the dropper bottle to 1mL of diluent provide enough particles for flow cytometry. The diluted calibration particles can withstand repeated freezing and thawing. Diluted particle suspension can be stored in the freezer and reused later. This is a cost saving feature unique to Rainbow Calibration Particles. In addition to the cost saving and convenience, the Rainbow Calibration Particles are also very stable under proper storage condition.

Group Prices

Rainbow Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing a mixture of the same size particles with different fluorescence intensities. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

Rainbow Fluorescent Particles, in dropper bottle containing single population of Rainbow Fluorescent Particles. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

Yellow Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing a mixture of the same size particles with different fluorescence intensities.

Rainbow Linear Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing a mixture of the same size particles with different fluorescent intensity for use in the linear scale of flow cytometer. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

Allophycocyanin Calibration Particles, in two dropper bottles. One contains blank particles, the other containing a mixture of same size particles with different fluorencence intensity. For use in Allophycocyanin channel.

Blank Calibration Particles, in dropper bottle containing blank particles for flow cytometer calibration. 10e7/ml, 1x5mL

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

COLOURED PARTICLES
The coloured particles are prepared by polymerising styrene in a solution of oil soluble nonfluorescent. As a result the particles are free of solvent commonly found when the particles are prepared by staining with a solution of dye in organic solvent. Spherotech coloured particles are intensely coloured. The uses include visual detection in latex agglutination assay or chromatographic type detection devises.
Coloured Polystyrene Particles, 5.0%, 1X10 ml
Coloured Carboxyl Polystyrene Particles, 5%, 1x10mL

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

SLIDES FOR CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY
Rainbow Slides are designed for the alignment and calibration of confocal fluorescent microscope. Rainbow Slides are multiple well glass slides containing several sizes of Rainbow Particles in a range of intensities. Please inquire for the availability.

FERROMAGNETIC PARTICLES
Our ferromagnetic particles are uniform in size and can be reversibly magnetised or demagnetised. They are used to study the mechano-transduction across the cell surface by binding the ferromagnetic particles to the cell surface receptors and for the application of mechanical stresses directly to the cell surface receptors with a magnetic twisting device.
Ferromagnetic Particles, 4.0~4.5µm, 1.0%, 1x5mL or 1x10mL

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

PARAMAGNETIC PARTICLES - Magnetic particles
The magnetic particles are prepared according to the procedures described in US Patent No. 5,091,206. They are prepared by coating a layer of magnetite and polystyrene onto monodispersed (ie. uniform sized) polystyrene core particles. As a result, the magnetic particles are spherical in shape, and paramagnetic in nature. They are also very uniform in size. The magnetite contents of these magnetic particles can be adjusted but in general it represents about 10% to 15%. The magnetic particles can be easily separated from a suspension magnetically. These particles become non-magnetic when removed from a magnet, and do not retain any detectable magnetism even after repeated exposure to strong magnetic field. The magnetic particles can be used for cell separation, affinity purification, DNA probe assays, magnetic particle EIA, etc.

See listing of all Spherotech items in the price sections

MAGNETIC SEPARATORS
The FlexiMag Separator (Cat. # SFMS-1000) is the only magnetic separator on the market with interchangeable tube holders to fit tube size from 1.5mL microfuge tube to 200mL tissue culture bottle. The separator is supplied with three tube holders, small, medium and large. Two holders can be used on each FlexiMag separator simultaneously. Extra sets of holders can be purchased separately. Each small tube holder holds four 1.5mL microfuge tubes or four 12x75mm test tubes. Each medium tube holder holds two 16x100mm test tubes or two 15mL centrifuge tubes. Two 50mL centrifuge tubes can be placed in the large tube holder. With two small tube holders in place it can accommodate up to eight 1.5mL microfuge tubes, or eight 12x75mm test tubes. With two medium tube holders in place it can accommodate four 15mL centrifuge tubes. With two large tube holders in place it can accommodate four 50mL centrifuge tubes. Without the tube holder in place it can accommodate two 200mL tissue culture bottles.

The FlexiMag Separator is ideal for any laboratory working with magnetic particles for cell separation, immunoassay or affinity purification. The FlexiMag Separator offers the unmatched cost saving and flexibility to meet the requirements of a research laboratory which uses only small amounts of magnetic particles as well as the requirement of a manufacturing facility that may need to process large amounts of magnetic particles at a time.

The FlexiMag Separator, Jr. (Cat. # SFMJ-1000) is designed specifically for the research lab where only small amounts of magnetic particles are used. The FlexiMag Separator, Jr. will hold eight each of the microfuge tubes, 5mL cryogenic vials or 12x75mm glass test tubes.

The UltraMag Separator System (Cat. # SUMS-4000) is designed to facilitate the washing of magnetic particles in the Magnetic Particles Enzyme Immunoassay (MPEIA) using 96-well plates. The system includes manifold, base, UltraMag separator, waste trap, vacuum pump, tubing and connector. The magnetic pegs of the UltraMag Separator fit in between the wells underneath the 96-well plate and facilitate magnetic particle separation by pulling them to the wall of the well. The fluid is aspirated gently by a specially designed vacuum pump to minimise the particle loss. Particles are released into fresh volume of wash fluid. Repeating the process results in the removal of unbound reactants thus facilitating the washing of the magnetic particles. After incubation and washing, the microtiter plate can be read in an appropriate microtiter plate reader by directly loading the micro plate along with the UltraMag Separator. This assures that the magnetic particles stay out of the path of the light beam, passing through the bottom of the well and corresponding holes in the UltraMag Separator.

A combination of magnetic particles as solid phase and conventional enzyme immuno assay (EIA) micro plate technology offers significant advantages over the conventional EIA. Some of the advantages are:

Magnetic particles offer larger surface area and significantly faster reaction kinetics thus reducing the total time to complete an assay.
Microparticles are washed more completely and efficiently, leaving less residual reactants, thus lowering background signal and potentially improving sensitivity.
Coating of magnetic particles is easier and gives more uniform solid phase and helps to minimise lot-to-lot variation.

QFMS-1000 FlexiMag Separator
(One Tube Holder Set included. Please order extra tube holder below
to achieve maximum capacity and flexibility)

QMSS-1100 Tube Holder, Set
Set contains one each small, medium and large Tube Holder

QFMJ-1000 FlexiMag Separator, Jr.

QHMS-1000 HandiMag Separator
(Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnet, 1" x 2" x 0.375")

QMMS-2100 MicroMag Separator
(For round bottom, flat bottom or V bottom 96 well plate)

QUMS-3000 UltraMag Separator
(With 59 magnets for flat bottom 96-well plate)

Links

Our prices include freight and exchange rate conversion. For Oz + NZ customers we supply at only fractionally higher cost - ask for a quote.

The following technical information are available for download (PDF format)
Rainbow Calibration Particles
Rainbow Fluorescent Particles
Ultra Rainbow Calibration Particles
Ultra Rainbow Fluorescent Particles
Drop Delay Calibration Particles
Fluorescent Alignment Particles
AccuCount Particles
Flow Cytometry Multiplexing Assay Particles
Flow Cytometry Compensation Particles
Flow Cytometry Data
Fluorescent Particles Info
Polystyrene Particles Info
Magnetic Particles
Magnetic Separators

Spherotech technical notes
The following Spherotech technical notes are available for download (PDF format)

STN-1: Particles Coating Procedures
STN-2: Determination of Antibody binding to particles
STN-3: Binding Capacity of Avidin Magnetic Particles
STN-4: Binding Capacity of Gt-anti-Ms-IgG Magnetic Particles
STN-5: Binding Capacity of Streptavidin Magnetic Particles
STN-6: Binding Capacity of Biotin Magnetic Particles
STN-7: Separation of Mononuclear Cells from Peripheral Blood using SPHERO Gt-anti-Ms-IgG Magnetic Particles
STN-8: Calibration and Performance Tracking of Flow Cytometer Using SPHERO Calibration Particles
STN-9: Measuring MEF with Flow Cytometer Using SPHERO Rainbow Calibration Particles.
STN-10: Magnetic Particles Enzyme Immunoassay (MPEIA) using UltraMag Separator System (UMS-4000)
STN-11: Magnetic Particles Coated with Pepsin, Papain and Trypsin
STN-12: Protein A Coated Magnetic Particles

CHARACTERISTICS OF POLYSTYRENE PARTICLES
Density: 1.05
Refractive Index: 1.59
Composition: Linear polystyrene
Shape: Uniform microspheres
Porosity: Nonporous
Compatibility with organic solvent: Inert to alcohol and DMSO but soluble in DMF, acetone, acetonitrile, xylene, chloroform and methylene chloride.
Functional groups: Located on the surface with alkyl linker arms.

Functional group contents:
0.8 um Carboxyl particles: ~ 50 ueq/g solid
0.8 um Amino particles: ~ 15-20 ueq/g solid

AVIDIN POLYSTYRENE PARTICLES (0.8 um):
Covalently coated with egg white avidin
Avidin Contents : ~ 14 ug/mg solid; ~ 0.212 nmole/mg solid
Binding capacity to Biotin-Fluorescein: ~ 0.46 nmole/mg solid

ANTIBODY COATED POLYSTYRENE PARTICLES (0.8 um):
Antibody contents: ~ 14 ug/mg solid; ~ 0.2 ug/sq cm; ~1.5x104 IgG/particle
Binding capacity to IgG-FITC: ~ 4 ug/mg

VOLUME, NUMBER AND SURFACE AREA VS. PARTICLE SIZE
Volume of particle: V = (3.14/6) x D^3 x 10e-12 cm3/particle
Number of particles: N = (6W/3.14PD^3) x 10e12 particles
Surface area of particles: A = (6W/PD) x 10e4 cm2

Where
W = Weight of polymer in gram
P = Density of polymer (polystyrene = 1.05)
D = Diameter of particles in micrometer

Total surface area of 1 ml of 5% w/v (50 mg) particle:
A = 2857/D cm2
Total surface area of 20 ul of 0.25% w/v (50 ug) particles:
A = 2.857/D cm2

For 1 ml of 1% w/v (10 mg) particles

DIAMETER(um) SURFACE AREA(cm2) #(x10e9)
0.05------------------11428-------------------145513
0.10-------------------5714--------------------18189
0.50-------------------1143----------------------145.51
0.80--------------------714-----------------------35.53
1.0---------------------571-----------------------18.19
1.5---------------------381------------------------5.389
2.0---------------------286------------------------2.274
2.5---------------------229------------------------1.164
3.0---------------------190------------------------0.6737
3.5---------------------163------------------------0.4242
4.0---------------------143------------------------0.2842
4.5---------------------127------------------------0.1996
5.0---------------------114------------------------0.1455
5.5---------------------104------------------------0.1093
6.0----------------------95------------------------0.0842
6.5----------------------88------------------------0.06625
7.0----------------------81------------------------0.0530
8.0------------------------------------------------0.03552
10.0-----------------------------------------------0.01819
12.0-----------------------------------------------0.01052
15.0-----------------------------------------------0.00539