You will get the best quality data if you select the correct microplates for your assays and compounds. Here are some considerations and general recommendations for users of the UCSC CSC:

(A) If this is for compound storage:

1. FUTURE USES: After your compounds are stored in the plate in question, what will you use it for? E.g. for dosing cell assay plates.
   • For using as an Echo source plate, you are limited to three Echo-compatible plates, described below. Note that the working volume ranges are highly specific for this instrument. For more info on these, see the Echo page “source plate” tab.
     • Labcyte 384 PP (polypropylene) plates (these are the best in most situations for almost any liquid)
     • Labcyte 384 LDV COC (low dead volume, cyclic olefin, diamond well) plates for DMSO solutions only
     • Labcyte 1536 LDV COC plates for DMSO solutions only.
   • For the Janus, the above 384 PP and 384 LDV plates work with our 100nl pin tool (the 1536 well plate can work with it, but requires special calibration beforehand). Deep well plates will also work with the pin tool, but not 96-well plates. For 96-well plates or arrays of tubes, use the Janus with tips or MicroPro.
   • Neither of the COC plates can be used with the Janus’s PlateStak because they are so clear that they are invisible to the device’s plate detection beam.
2. VOLUME: What volume of sample do you have?
   • Note that you can consider concentrating or diluting your stock to get a desired volume.
   • For over 200ul you need either the deep well plates or arrays of 96 tubes.
   • For 60-200ul you could use a regular 96 well plate, depending on the specs of that plate brand.
   • For 15-60ul you could use a regular 384 well plate.
   • For 2.5-15ul you can use a low dead volume 384 well plate or a 1536 well plate.
3. SHAPE: For compound storage, a V bottom is desirable, to reduce dead volume. Whereas assays usually have flat bottoms for even measurements.
4. SOLVENTS: Not all plastics are compatible with all solvents. You can use this handy tool to look up compatibility. For example, no acetone or DMF in polystyrene plates (FYI most plates are polystyrene).
5. COATINGS, LIDS, & SEALS: generally for compounds, you do not want any additional chemicals present, so we avoid well coatings or seals containing glue (unless specifically listed as solvent-compatible glue). We use seals rather than lids to prevent oxygen and moisture exposure and evaporation.
6. DISPENSING THE STOCK COMPOUNDS INTO THE PLATE:
   • Tips: 96 and most 384 well plates are easily dispensed into with tips, but the 384 LDV and 1537 well plates should be checked first (e.g. pipetting with Janus or MicroPro). For hand pipetting, you should only attempt the 384 LDV plates if you are a seasoned pipetting expert! Note that on these plates, half of the “wells” are spacers.
   • Peri or syringe on BioTek: Any regular-height plate can be dispensed into with the BioTek, but if using a 1536 well plate, please do use the BioStak to place the plate in the right spot.
   • Echo: ANY object can be spotted onto by the Echo, assuming you can program in the exact plate height setting (so that it does not bang into the source plate), and the plate width/depth is the same as a regular plate (so that the gripper can hold it steady).
   • Pin tool: our 100nl 384 pin tool can be used if you have already dispensed solvent into the wells, so that the pins have something to dip into. This is for 384 well plates.

(B) If this is for assay samples:

1. STERILITY & COATINGS: Is this an endpoint assay? Do you need sterile conditions (e.g. for cell growth or PCR amplification)? Is it with adherent cells that need a specific coating? Will the cells need to adhere through washing steps?
2. LIDS: Is evaporation over time an issue (depends on incubation times and temperatures)? What about gas exchange (e.g. for live cells, they need O2 and CO2)? While inside the plate reader, plates will be de-lidded, but can have a clear seal or a translucent breathable seal applied. During sample prep, the plates can have a regular lid, a vented lid (for live cells), or no lid. In the imager, you can decide if you want lids, seals, or neither.
3. WELL SIZE/DEPTH/SHAPE: Are your reagents precious, such that a smaller volume is better, or do you prefer the ease of pipetting into a larger well? Will there be a lot of assay conditions, controls, and replicates to compare (all on one plate side-by-side)? Do you wish to leave edge wells empty (so you need to account for more wells in the map)? Will there be mixing in the well? Circular wells mix more evenly. But if you are planning on imaging the samples with a microscope then square wells may be better, especially if you want to image the entire well (low magnification or tiling), since the camera is format square.
4. COLORS: What measurement technology are you using?
   • Imaging – MUST have a clear (preferably flat) bottom. For fluorescence imaging, use black walls (for brightfield, any walls are OK). Also note that the Phenix requires the plate to be less than ~15 mm height so the regular deep 6/12/24/48-well plates will not work.
   • Absorbance – MUST have a clear bottom. Note that the clear bottom should be clear specifically in the UV range (e.g. Greiner UV-Star brand plates) if you are doing absorbance below 400nm. Walls can be clear or black but ideally not white. Bottom must be flat.
     

     

   • Luminescence – Plates CANNOT be clear because of crosstalk between wells. White plates are ideal for best signal. If you want to see your sample under a microscope, then have a clear bottom but otherwise solid white is best. Bottom can be flat or round.
   • Fluorescence – Plates must be black to reduce background, and usually solid black is best, and can be flat or round bottom. But if you are doing bottom read (i.e. camera gets light from the bottom of the sample, not the top), or want to see the sample under a microscope, then have a clear flat bottom.

Restocking prices:

• Most Corning assay plates are $7 each
• Labcyte PP plates $10 each
• Labcyte LDV plates $15 each
• note that MicroPro tips are $20 per box

Chemical structures of plastics: