Microbiological techniques - Tools used in Biotechnology

Microbiological techniques

Specialized equipment is required to isolate, transfer, and grow up cultures of microbes and tissues in the laboratory.

A. Autoclaves –Autoclaves are machines that achieve a high internaltemperature and pressure and are used to sterilize solutions and glassware. The kitchen pressure cooker achieves the same results and can be used instead of an autoclave.

B. Cell Culture Hood –A biological safety or cell culture hood filterssmall particles out of the air in order to avoid contamination of cultures or sterile media. The filters are similar to those used to decontaminate air for operating rooms in hospitals or clean rooms used in the semiconductor industry.

C. Fermentors –Fermentors are used to grow up a large quantity of cellswith automatically controlled pH and levels of oxygen and other nutrients.

D. Since most cells are generally too small to be seen with the naked eye, microscopes are used to magnify their images. Light or Bright field microscopes and inverted microscopes are the most common types found in biotechnology laboratories.