Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 12:46:05 -0700 (PDT) From: Sean Barry <sjbarry@ucdavis.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2003$foo@default> Subject: Re: tissue culture
On Fri, 4 Jun 1999, chris moody wrote:
> hi all
> on the cambrian carnivores oline help and books i have read, pressure
> cookers are mentioned for the much needed sterilisation. what?,exactly is a
> pressure cooker? also, i am hoping to buy a tc kit sometime in the near
> future, how important is it to totaly sterilise everything used in tc, and
> are there any shortcuts for those of use who are unlucky enough not to be
> graced with the presence of a pressure cooker?
A pressure cooker is a kitchen utensile that boils water out to about 300
degrees (F) or higher, rather than the usual 212 degrees. It does this by
using a locking gasketed cover and a slow exhaust bleed. Water that hot
will kill all organisms and their spores, and as such the pressure cooker
resembles an autoclave. In cell culture, sterility and
squeaky-cleanliness are critical to success, so I would not trust
instruments, containers, and water that was not sterilized in a pressure
cooker. It will be difficult enough to keep things clean in a
non-laboratory environment, so you'll need everything possible on your
side, particularly if you've never done cell culture before. If you're
serious about this method of propagation, spend the $25-40 on a small
pressure cooker from a homewares shop. Sterilize any and all material in
a pressure cooker for a minimum of 25 minutes.
Sean Barry
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