Siliconized glassware - (Sep/26/2007 )

Hello,
Was wondering if anyone knows-----
What is the significance of siliconized glassware? What will be happen if non-siliconized glassware is used?

Thanks,
PS

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It depends very much on what you are doing. In coagulation studies, contact with unsiliconized glass or borosilicate glass activates certain clotting factors. Next, depending on the siliconizing agent you use, you can make polyacrylamide stick to, or be repelled from, glass plates (eg, when making up DNA sequencing gels for manual reading).

Basically, siliconized glassware is less likely to interact with your protein of interest.

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Thank you!! this helped...ya i was curious when i found tht siliconized glassware be used for Ficoll Paque seperation of blood cells.
You gave just the answer I wanted.

But i thought silicone is the only siliconizing agent, can you elaborate on wht are the others and how do we know when to use which?

Thanks,
PS

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As a first step, I'd try Googling 'silanizing' plus whatever specific need you have. Also, call the chemical supply companies like Sigma-Aldrich, may Chemicals, Pierce etc and see if they can direct you.
Here are a couple of links I found quite quickly:-

http://www.opticsplanet.net/jt-baker-safet...er-4017-01.html
http://www.mayaterials.com/Janusweb.pdf
http://people.uncw.edu/boomershinew/silanizingRV.pdf
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/search...lePage/16279657
(the Sigma page has a listing of all their siliconizing and derivatizing compounds. There are lots!!!!)

What exactly do you want to siliconise, and why?

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Thank you for your detailed insight into the use of the siliconizing agent and links....i do not need for any purpose, but its just that when i read some applications they stressed on using siliconated glassware (Ficoll-Paque) and this note came over and over in many other applications.....so i started wondering why was it so important, becoz i didnt find this information on Google or any book...
neways...ur insight was a gr888 help...cudnt have asked for more....thanks!!!!
PS

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Dear All,

There seems to be some confusion here.

Siliconising fluids/borosilicate glass is used TO STOP CELLS STICKING TO IT i.e. when preparing neutraphils/monocytes from human blood using ficoll paque, borosilicate glass stops the cells from adhering to it.

In the glass vials, sometimes already prepared, sometimes added by the scientist is HEPARIN... this is the ANTICOAGULANT.

Hope this is useful

Rhombus

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Siliconized glassware is also highly recommended for primary neuron culture prep to stop cells from sticking, reducing losses.
-Weezie

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Rhombus is correct. Another reason for coating glass is to prevent absorption of the fluids by the glass. Silicon is not as good as some other products that will repel cells.

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