Recently we've been having engaging conversations with labs concerning our exciting new 5mL tube, the one we've called the Centri Cutie.
The purpose of our discussions has been to uncover possible uses for this new screw-cap version of the 5mL, and also to hear what objections we might encounter when promoting the product.
On the top of nearly everyone's mind is whether or not the Centri Cutie is compatible with any of the currently existing centrifuge rotors on the market.
Because it was designed with a pronounced under-lip, the answer has been a pleasantly surprising: "Yes, it fits all 15mL centrifuge buckets and rotors."
This question then leads to a follow up: "How fast can it be spun, and would it require any special adapters for that?"
While the Centri Cutie can withstand speeds of up to 25,000 xg, that does assume the cone tip is properly supported. So in general, the answer has been that it would still require some sort of support rod to work at max RCF.
Thanks to some solid product knowledge on the part of one of our excellent lab partners at U of Penn, we discovered a beautifully simple solution.
If your lab uses an Eppendorf 5810 or 5810R centrifuge, you will notice that the buckets are not made from a solid piece of plastic, but rather are composed of many smaller layers that stack up.
When spinning a large sized conical tube, you need to keep all the layers in place to support the tube. If you want to spin the Centri Cutie, or some other 5mL tube, it is as simple as removing two of the stacks to obtain the correct size!
The photo below shows a Centri Cutie properly supported and ready to go.
This is likely to be the case with other popular centrifuge brands. Let us know if you spot another simple solution!