Tips for loading agarose gels

Tips for loading agarose gels:
- make sure the gel is completely submerged in the running buffer
- prepare the samples on Parafilm
- start by making drops of loading buffer
- add your samples to the loading buffer and mix (without bubbling)
- suck up (aspirate) your sample, being careful not to draw up air (which will cause your sample to “pop” out of the well)
- scout out the wells
- stick a piece of tape on the cassette or gel box to help you locate them
- make sure you are inside the well before dispensing
- but make sure not to stab the well or the barriers between them
- dispense the sample slowly
- stabilize your hand by putting your elbow on the bench and/or grabbing your wrist with your other hand
- keep your thumb depressed until you’re all the way out to prevent sample from getting sucked back up
- to get all the sample out, you have to go to the full stop of the pipet - this blowout step has a tendency to blow out a bubble, which can cause a bit of sample to pop out - if you are really worried about sample lanes contaminating one another, don’t push all the sample out
- remember practice makes perfect! and remember to run to red! (set up gel so that the samples are on the black end of the box)

more about agarose gel electrophoresis: http://bit.ly/agarosegelelectrophoresis & https://bit.ly/agarosegelcompare &    • Agarose gel electrophoresis - and a c...  

more about parafilm:    • Parafilm "M" (M's a mystery...) and i...  

more pipetting tips:    • Pipetting tips  
 
more practical lab tips & tricks: https://bit.ly/lab_tricks_page &    • Practical lab tips & tricks        
    
more about all sorts of things: #365DaysOfScience All (with topics listed) 👉 http://bit.ly/2OllAB0 or search blog: http://thebumblingbiochemist.com