Increasing The Reproducibility Of Serial Dilutions

By Michael Beier

Pipetting serial dilutions reproducibly can be difficult because it is a time consuming and consequently error prone methodology, especially in 384 well plates. Based upon the assumption that your pipettes are properly maintained and calibrated, the human influence has the largest impact on pipetting results. Observing good pipetting practice helps immensely to improve reproducibility and accuracy. In this article we focus on a selection of good pipetting techniques, which if maintained offer the best chance of increasing and maintaining the reproducibility of your serial dilutions. Mixing is a key component of dilution protocols and in this article we additionally discuss different mixing parameters to help you achieve a homogenous sample. To maximize consistency of dilution assays, automating the process offers many benefits. For ensuring highly reproducible serial dilutions we outline what features an automated pipetting system should have and introduce the VIAFLO ASSIST – a product purpose designed for this task.