Bio-Rad PROTEAN II XL Cell - Manual (Page 9)

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Section 2
Description of Major Parts
Fig. 1. PROTEAN ® II xi 2-D cell including tube adaptor. 1. Lower buffer chamber, 2. Lid with electrical leads in place,
3. Cooling core with glass plate sandwich attached and core caps in place, 4. Casting stand with glass plate sandwich in
alignment slot, 5. Tube gel adaptor, 6. Sandwich clamps, 7. Buffer dam, 8. Alignment card.
2.1 Central Cooling Core
The central cooling core provides the cooling capability which prevents thermal band distortion during
electrophoretic separations. The cooling core can be connected to any circulating cooling source. The
serpentine flow pattern assures even heat distribution over the entire gel area. An ethylene glycol:water (20:80)
solution is recommended as coolant. Other coolants may damage the plastic during extended exposure. If a
circulating bath is not available, the core can be connected to a tap water line, or simply filled with 1.8 liters of
coolant and plugged to act as a heat sink during electrophoresis.
The central cooling core has a raised upper electrode which is housed in a protective casing, and the lower
electrode is recessed to prevent accidental damage.
2.2 Sandwich Clamps
The unique PROTEAN II xi sandwich clamps consist of a single screw mechanism which makes assembly,
alignment, and disassembly of the gel sandwich an effortless task. The clamps exert an even pressure over
the entire length of the glass plates, providing a leak-proof seal and preventing plate damage due to uneven
pressure. Each pair of clamps consists of a left clamp and a right clamp. The sandwich clamps can
accommodate up to two 1.5 mm thick gels.
2.3 Casting Stand
The casting stand is separate from the PROTEAN II xi cell so that two gel sandwiches can be cast while others
are being run. The one-piece molded unit has two casting slots and one alignment slot. Gel sandwiches are
assembled, aligned, and cammed into the stand quickly, without the use of grease.
Double gels may also be cast. Two 1.5 mm (or thinner) gels may be cast in each sandwich, so that up to four
1.5 mm gels can be run at once.
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