700 Industrial Park Drive
Alabaster, AL 35007
1-800-227-0651 or 205-663-2494
Fax 1-800-229-1004 or 205-663-0756
Orders:
Technical Questions:

General Information:
"); // global background
The Mini-Extruder

[Mini Extruder, Parts and Accessories Order Page]
[Mini Extruder Assembly Instructions]

[Membrane Specifications and Drain Disc]
[Mini Extruder Care and Cleaning]
[Extrusion Technique]
[Whatman Liposome Application Brief]
[References]
The Avanti Mini-Extruder allows researchers and scientists to prepare large, unilamellar vesicles by extrusion in an efficient, rapid manner. The optional heating block allows the extrusion of unilamellar vesicles at elevated temperatures, which is critical for the successful production of vesicles from phospholipids with a phase transition temperature (Tm) above room temperature. Constructed of stainless steel and Teflon, this new design allows rapid cleaning of all wetted parts, which reduces the "down-time" between production of vesicles from different lipid species. The Mini-Extruder is available for a fraction of the cost of a larger extruder. All parts for the Mini-Extruder are available from Avanti, and the Mini-Extruder comes with a 30 day workmanship guarantee.

The Avanti Mini-Extruder, Catalog No. 610000, set includes:
  • (1) Mini-Extruder
  • (2) Gas Tight Syringes
  • (1) Extruder Stand/Stabilizer Block
  • (100) Polycarbonate Membranes
  • (2) O-Rings · (100) Filter Supports

    Sensitive to the divergent nature of each of our customers, and their unique applications for our products, Avanti stocks a variety of different Polycarbonate Membranes (from 0.03µm to 5µm) and two syringe sizes, 250µL and 1.0mL.
Placing the Stabilizer block-extruder assembly on a hot plate achieves rapid temperature control for lipids that have transition temperatures above room temperature.

The particle size distribution of unilamellar vesicles prepared by extrusion is a function of the number of passes through the Extruder Membrane. Hydrated lipid solutions will initially form large, multi-lamellar vesicles. After the initial pass through a membrane, the particle size distribution will tend towards a bimodal distribution. After sufficient passes through the membrane, a unimodal, normal distribution is obtained. A minimum of eleven passes through the Extruder membrane is recommended for most lipids.
The particle size information in Figure 2 was obtained with a Coulter N4 Plus submicron particle size analyzer. The particle size analyzer was controlled through a PC using the N4 Plus software package. The Coulter Particle Characterization Division may be contacted at (800) 338-8830.
A solution of 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine was made up to 25 mg/ml in DI water. The particle size distribution was measured for the material before extrusion and for 3 and 11 passes through a 100nm (0.1micron) membrane.

References:
  • Subbarao, N.K., R.I. MacDonald, K. Takeshita, and R.C. MacDonald. (1991). Characteristics of spectrin-induced leakage of extruded, phosphatidylserine vesicles. Biochim Biophys Acta 1063:147-54.
  • MacDonald, R.C., R.I. MacDonald, B.P. Menco, K. Takeshita, N.K. Subbarao, and L.R. Hu. (1991). Small-volume extrusion apparatus for preparation of large, unilamellar vesicles. Biochim Biophys Acta 1061:297-303.
© Avanti Polar Lipids, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Comments