Types and Benefits of Inoculating Loops and Cell Spreaders

Types and Benefits of Inoculating Loops and Cell Spreaders linoculating loops and cell spreadersaboratory technicians and researchers have to plant and streak dozens of specimens on a daily basis for storage and diagnosis. They have to be extremely careful when teasing out the material from a specimen in order to prepare a culture for clinical tests or diagnosis. Depending upon a microbiologist's style of working and the task involved, he or she may use one, two or all of the following:

Types of Inoculating loops & their benefits

1. Among the most important UK lab products, inoculating loops can be calibrated or non-calibrated.
2. Many loops have tiny wire handles. They are known as wire loops.
3. Loops available in the market can be made up of metal (Nickel-Chrome, for example) or plastic.
4. Metal loops are more versatile but they're expensive too. Microbiologists use disposable plastic loops for plating and streaking various specimens in a microbiology lab on a daily basis.
5. Disposable (plastic) inoculating loops are manufactured in different styles. Depending upon the material quality, their flexibility or rigidity can vary a great deal.
6. High quality inoculating loops are free from any kind of lubricants or even electrostatic charges. These loops cost a bit more but they ensure accuracy by assisting lab researchers to completely transfer the liquid through consistent wetting.
7. Many microbiologists prefer loops with hexagonal shafts. These loops are easy to grip. The loop head can thus be oriented easily in any direction desired.

Types of cell spreaders & their benefits

1. Spreaders are mainly T or L shaped. They are made up of plastic or metal.
2. Microbiologists use T-shaped cell spreaders for spreading or dispersing various liquids evenly on the surface of a culture plate.
3. With a T-shaped spreader, a technician or researcher can apply pressure evenly on the entire surface area of an agar culture plate.
4. The best quality T-shaped cell spreaders have completely smooth and round surface, so as to eliminate the possibility of agar gouging when culture plates are being inoculated.
5. L-shaped cell spreaders too are used to evenly spread liquid samples on the surface of an agar culture plate, read to be inoculated.
6. High quality L-shaped spreaders are a bit expensive but they're free from any kind of plastic impurities or rough edges, thereby ensuring great precision in test results.
7. 7.    While non-sterile cell spreaders are generally available in bulk (at a relatively much lower cost), sterile cell spreaders are individually wrapped and sold at a slightly higher price. Microbiologists can choose either of the two depending upon the task at hand.

It's important that you consider when choosing inoculating loops and cell spreaders the quality and certifications a manufacturer has before making a final purchase decision. Microbiologists need precision and only high end smear loops, inoculating loops, cell spreaders along with other laboratory products help you ensure that!