[RASMB] Dirty Cells Stuck

[Hayes, David]

Hi Stephen,

A while ago I asked about stuck cells and received the answer to cool or
freeze them.  I was skeptical at first, but on every occasion when I had
cell pieces stuck together that would not come loose, a half hour in the
freezer and the stuck part came out. This worked for cells stuck in a
rotor, for centerpieces stuck in a cell assembly, and for sapphire
windows stuck in a window holder when Beckman shipped me cells with too
thick brown window cushions.  It may be that the aluminum comes back to
room temperature more quickly than the inside of the cell.  I was told
that the aluminum shrinks faster than the titanium of the rotor and that
was why a cell stuck in a rotor should be cooled (usually rotors I put
in a cold room, not the freezer).

Other people are more expert in what soaks are safe.  I have not had to
resort to soaking.

David Hayes

-----Original Message-----
From: rasmb-bounces at rasmb.bbri.org [mailto:rasmb-bounces at rasmb.bbri.org]
On Behalf Of Stephen McLaughlin
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 6:55 AM
To: rasmb at rasmb.bbri.org
Subject: [RASMB] Dirty Cells Stuck

Dear RASMBers, 

I have started looking after the AUC here and we have had problems with
the sensitivity of the FDS.  As users have kept the fluorescence cells
assembled in the housings between runs, I suggested  they should
disassemble the cells and give the components a good clean.
Unfortunately they can't get the cell assembly out.  I suspect that
there has been leakage and there is dried material gluing them
altogether.   What are your recommendations.  Can I soak them in the
hope of losening them?  Or should I take them to the workshop to force
them out.  Will they take the pressure? 

Many thanks,

Stephen
______________________________

Stephen McLaughlin, Ph.D.

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QH
United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (0) 1223 402035 (office)
       
Email: stephenm at mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
_____________________________



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