TechNotes

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Product-Specific TechNotes (100 Series)

• 100: Polymer Microspheres
  Handling tips and guidelines for working with polymer microspheres. (01/10)
• 101: ProActive® Microspheres
  Handling tips and protocols for streptavidin, Protein A, and anti-Mouse coated microspheres. (08/99)
• 102: Magnetic Microparticles
  Magnetic particle applications, with product suggestions. (07/08)
• 103: Fluorescent/Dyed Microspheres
  Applications, fluorescence spectra, and product descriptions. Includes QuantumPlex™ microspheres for multiplexing and flow cytometry, and confocal microscope standards. (07/08)
• 104: Silica Microspheres
  For immunoassays, nucleic acid capture, velocimetry (LDV, PIV), flat panel display spacers, and others. Tips for drying and resuspension. (08/99)
• 105: Microsphere Size Standards
  Beads for cell size estimation, filter challenge, and instrument checks and calibrations. NIST-traceable standards from 0.27µm to 25µm. (01/03)
• 106: Confocal Standards
  Using fluorescent bead standards in confocal microscopy. (08/07)

Handling-Specific TechNotes (200 Series)

• 201: Working with Microspheres
  Choosing, cleaning, characterizing, coating beads, etc. (L.B. Bangs' 2nd lecture at The Latex Course™ - 10/02)
• 201A: Microsphere Selection
  Description of properties that impact base bead selection. (09/08)
  
• 202: Microsphere Aggregation
  Preventing, detecting, and reversing aggregation. Chemicals and equipment sources. (08/99)
• 203: Washing Microspheres
  Protocols for different methods for cleaning microspheres; advantages/disadvantages of methods; suppliers of equipment. (08/99)
• 204: Adsorption to Microspheres
  Adsorbing proteins onto particles; use of "surface diluents" (blockers); recipes and references. (08/99)
• 205: Covalent Coupling
  Chemical attachment of proteins, nucleic acids, etc. to functionalized microspheres. Suggestions for coupling protocol design and optimization (buffer and blocker selection, use of chemical linkers, etc.). Vendor information, recommended reading and references. (03/02)
• 206: Equations
  For calculating particles/mL, surface area/g, "parking area," settling velocity @ 1G and in centrifuge, etc. (08/09)
• 208: Microsphere Sizing
  BLI methods are described and discussed, along with Optical Microscopy and other methods. (08/09)

Application-Specific TechNotes (300 Series)

• 301: Immunological Applications
  Review of commercial applications of microspheres. (L.B. Bangs' 1st lecture at The Latex Course™ - 05/99)
• 302: Molecular Biology
  Overview of purification and solid phase separation methods. (02/02)
• 303: Lateral Flow Tests
  Putting dyed particles on membranes, so they will move properly. (08/99)
• 304: Light-Scattering Assays
  Turbidimetric and nephelometric applications of microspheres. (08/99)

Reprints (400 Series)

• 402: Microspheres, part 1: Selection, cleaning, and characterization, and part 2: Ligand attachment and test formulation.
  Leigh B. Bangs & Mary Meza. IVD Technology (in Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry), 17, #3, 18-26, March, and #4, 20-26, April, 1995.
  
  Good general description of how to work with microspheres: test component selection, cleaning, characterization, adsorption, covalent attachment, coating optimization, final formulation, filter interaction, and strip test assembly. These may be viewed directly on the publisher's website at http://www.devicelink.com/ivdt/archive/95/03/009.html and http://www.devicelink.com/ivdt/archive/95/04/006.html.
• 403: New Developments in Particle-Based Immunoassays: Introduction
  L.B. Bangs. Pure & Appl. Chem., 68, #10, 1873-1879 (1996).
  
  Review of 40 years of uses of microspheres in diagnostic tests and assays from LATS to biosensors. (Invited paper from the 6th International Congress on Automation and New Technology in the Clinical Laboratory, Barcelona, November 4, 1995.)
• 405: Applications of Magnetic Particles in Immunoassays
  Mary Meza. Ch. 22 (pp. 303-309) in "Scientific and Clinical Applications of Magnetic Carriers," ed-by Häfeli, et al. Plenum Press, New York, 1997.
  
  Lecture at conference in Rostock, Germany, September 1996.
• 406: Measuring Microspheres Binding Capacity
  J.M. Duffy, J.V. Wall, M.B. Meza, L.J. Jenski. IVD Technology, 4, #7, 28-34 (1998).
• 407: Bead-based HTS applications in drug discovery
  M.B. Meza. Drug Discovery Today: HTS supplement, 1, #1, 38-41 (2000).