Hi Patrick,
We recently compared the IPGPhor versus the IEF cell. We found that both systems
perform fairlly. From the point of view of ease of use and manipulation, we
think that the BioRad apparatus is better (especially in matter of programing
the power supply). Also, we did not like the ceramic boats of Pharmacia
(expensive and easy to break if you are not careful, plus they are difficult to
clean properly). The pastic holder of the IEF cell is more rationally designed
although there are a couple of poorly designed parts (We did not like the way
the wire electrode sticks out of the holder). We ended up buying the BioRad cell
for open-access mini2D gel purposes.
Just for the record: We also have two Multiphor units that are linked to a
custom power supply and control programing allowing us to do the same kind of
gradient programing and voltage limits than these above-mentioned cells. With
this design (and at a fraction of the cost to buy new equipments), we found that
we essentially get the same results as with the IPGphor/IEFcell. There are to my
knowledges two drawbacks to that configuration: we cannot rehydrate actively
(the Multiphor platform is not designed to do that; however, with the samples I
have been working with, it did not seem to matter ...); we cannot easily move
the Multiphor from one lab to the other (hence the purchase of an IEFcell.).
Hope that it helps.
Axel
Patrick Tam wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> I apologise beforehand as I know this has been asked ad nauseum, but we need
> to make a decision within the next week on whether to purchase the IPGPhor
> or the Bio-Rad Protean IEF cell for 2D 1st dimension. I've searched the
> archive and found enough about the IPGPhor, but would be very interested to
> hear from anybody who has had experience with Bio-Rad's IEF cell. Also, the
> advantages/disadvantages between the two units would be a great help!
>
> Many thanks!
>
> Patrick Tam
> Oncology Research Centre
> Level 2 Clinical Sciences Building
> Prince of Wales Hospital
> Barker St
> Randwick NSW 2031
> AUSTRALIA
> Ph: 02 9382 2617
> Fax: 02 9382 2629
> email: p.tam@student.unsw.edu.au
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --Axel Ducret, Ph.D. Senior Research Biologist Merck-Frosst Canada Inc. Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology P.O. Box 1005 Pointe-Claire-Dorval PQ H9R 4P8 Canada
tel. + (514) 428-3428 fax + (514) 428-4900
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jan 27 2000 - 09:22:42 EST