Filling 384-well plates using the Genetix QFill2
(a) A bottle of sterile freezing medium is connected to a 16-pin manifold via an aspirator cap and tubing. The pins on the manifold and the manifold cross-bar are hollow. Thus fluid pumped from the bottle into the manifold exits the manifold through the 16 manifold pins.
(b) The manifold is placed into a holder in the QFill2. The tube attached to the manifold is fitted into a pinch valve located on the upper surface of the QFill2. The other tube is attached to an air-port on the back of the QFill2 creating a pressure in the bottle. A 384-well microtiter plate is placed on the mechanical stage of the QFill2. The plate lid is removed. (b & c) Pressing the start button of the QFill2 begins an entirely automated chain of events. The stage moves laterally (to the right) so that the first 16-well row is directly beneath the manifold. A specific volume of media (determined by the user when the unit is first turned on) is dispensed from each manifold pin into the well directly below it. The plate is then moved forward one row, and the second row is filled. This process is continued until all 24 rows of the plate are filled. After the last row of the plate is filled, the mechanical stage moves back to its original position on the left side of the manifold. The operator then can place a lid on the plate, set the filled plate aside, and place a new plate on the mechanical stage. It takes less than 20 seconds to fill a 384-well plate using the QFill2.
The mechanical stage moves the plate underneath the manifold. The manifold itself does not move during operation.
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