In the daily work of the laboratory, the biggest problems rarely come from a big failure. Suelen embark on small and routine decisions that we have incorporated: a team that we entrust to science or a consumable that we choose by custom.
These decisions can explain much of the failed experiments and the results that cannot be reproduced. We review five of the most frequent errors in the laboratory and, above all, how to avoid them to protect your work, your time and the reliability of your data.
Do not check the status of the freezer
The freezer or blast freezer is one of those pieces of equipment that we trust without question. Check your temperature and see if it continues to work like the first day. But time can pass the invoice without giving us an account: the performance of the compressor drops little by little, the door seals can lose airtightness and the display can show a different temperature than what really affects your tests.
Therefore, it is advisable to stop and answer the following questions: When was the last technical review of the refrigeration system, the seals and the sensor? Do you have a continuous temperature record? If you only know the temperature when someone looks at the panel, you only have a single photo.
If you answer and see that your equipment does not offer the reliability you need, it might be time to value something new. On our website of freezers and blast freezers you will find options for every need. At the end of the year, with our Eppendorf promotion, you can purchase the CryoCube F101H with a 20% discount .
Underestimating the freezing average
There is a huge difference in each experiment and, sometimes, very little in protecting the sample at the end of the process. Even though cryopreservation is treated as a routine step, this is where all previous work can be lost. Inadequate freezing or thawing directly affects cellular viability, reproducibility and everything that comes after.
Improvising the freezing method or using one without validation may seem like an economic hassle, but the real trouble is not to be repeated. A formulated and validated measure offers predictable and consistent cellular recovery; the basis for reliable results.
So that cryopreservation does not become a weak result of your investigation, Bambanker (serum-free cell freezing medium) allows direct, rapid and simple freezing, with published evidence on more than 120 cell types, more than 90% cell recovery and GMP-compliant quality. If you want to try, Bambanker contacts your Proquinorte commercial so that they can help you get the best option.
Do not detect Mycoplasma contamination in a long time
Unlike fungi or bacteria, Mycoplasma does not cloud the environment or give visible signals in cultivation. It contaminates and can alter cellular behavior, gene expression or growth without us being aware of it.
The only way to detect it in time is to routinely test it. Not doing so is taking an unnecessary risk.
The GenieColor Mycoplasma Detection Kit detects Mycoplasma contamination with a single reading per color (negative, clean culture; positive, presence of Mycoplasma) and is compatible with your cell lines. Enjoy our 20% discount on Mycoplasma .
Always use the same type of pipette tip
It's easy to always do the same thing every time, without thinking about what we're doing. But the key is not “the best point”, but the appropriate point for each application.
When working with nucleic acids, clinical tests or cell cultivation, a tip with a filter is a real physical barrier against aerosols and microdrops: it protects both the sample and the instrument and prevents cross-contamination. However, in general chemistry or in the preparation of buffers, this filter is not always necessary and a single point without a filter is more efficient and economical. Choosing this task function protects what is important and optimizes spending.
With the PQN Essentials range you have one tip for each use: with and without filter, in all ranges (0.1 µl – 1,000 µl), free of DNasas, RNasas, endotoxins and human DNA, and in rack format, refillable or in bulk. Consult to find the best option for your tests.
Working with RNA without checking its quality
When a result fails, the first thing we review is the experiment. But sometimes the problem comes from before: the museum is now compromised. RNA is the most labile molecule we work with. Unlike DNA, it degrades easily, and RNasas are present in the environment, on surfaces and in untreated water, active even at low temperatures.
When an RNA sample is not clean and complete, problems do not disappear: they are transferred downstream in the form of a low or inconsistent signal in RT-qPCR, low library quality in NGS or results that cannot be reproduced between replicates. Taking a cleansing and concentrating step before continuing ensures that the experiment starts from a solid foundation.
The RNA Clean & Concentrator-5 with DNase I from Zymo Research cleans, concentrates and eliminates DNA in one step: more than 90% RNA recovery, elimination of contaminants in 5 minutes, ready results for RT-qPCR, NGS or hybridization and elution from 6 µl.
In summary
None of these errors are dramatic alone, but reviewing everyday decisions every now and then, like the equipment we trust or the consumable we choose by inertia, is one of the simplest ways to protect the quality of your work and save time over a long period of time.
Do you need help to choose the right product for your laboratory?
Contact us!
