An Introduction to the Micropipettor

The micropipettor is a common laboratory instrument used for transferring microvolumes of liquid solutions. Micropipettors come in a range of sizes for the accurate movement of volumes between 0.5 and 5000 μl and each instrument requires one of three different sized disposable tips. Micropipettors work by displacing air from the pipette shaft, allowing the liquid to be drawn into the resulting vacuum. Their uses include transferring cell suspensions for a variety of cell-based assays, loading samples for different analytical techniques, and mechanically disrupting tissues into single cell suspensions. Micropipettors are an extremely helpful laboratory tools that are easy to use with a little bit of instruction and practice. In this video, JoVE shows the first-time user all the tips, tricks, and ins and outs of using a micropipettor in the lab.