Vitrobot™ Mark IV

The next-generation Vitrobot™ Mark IV, a fully automated vitrification device for plunge-freezing of aqueous (colloidal) suspensions, meets the demands of modern science. Its newly designed touch-screen user interface is robust and easy to use and its robotics guarantee high-quality, reproducible sample freezing and a high sample throughput.

Its controlled-environment key technology prevents cooling and concentration artifacts that are inevitable in other "open-space" freezing methods. The transfer from the vitrification medium into the liquid nitrogen atmosphere has been automated, thereby ensuring an even more consistent and high-yield sample output.

Advantages and Capabilities

• Fully automated, reproducible vitrification of suspensions
• High vitrification quality through controlled environment
• High sample throughput
• Easy and flexible instrument control
• Semi-automated grid transfer

Applications with Vitrobot Mark IV

The new Vitrobot Mark IV is a state-of-the-art specimen preparation unit that offers great value to the demanding scientific areas of cell biology and molecular imaging as well as being very suitable for food, industrial, pharmaceutical and nanotechnological applications – where the true colloidal structure needs to be viewed. The following illustrations show some applications examples of suspensions that can and have been vitrified with the Vitrobot (click to enlarge):

3D model of Cowpea Mosaic Virus (CPMV) visualized by single particle reconstruction. The radial color distribution represents the topology of the viral capsid.

Cryo-Tomogram of Vitrobot frozen liposomes containing the anti-cancer drug Doxil (Nature Medicine, 2003) Sample courtesy of Dr. P. Frederik and Mr. P. Bomans, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands

Cryo-TEM can be used to validate the various production phases of Personal Care products as in this image of Vitrobot frozen shampoo/conditioner. Image shows the homogeneous dispersion of liposome particles.

3D cryo tomographic reconstruction of vesicles conceded with cadherin arrays. Sample courtesy of: Dr. O. Lambert IECB, University of Bordeaux, France

Vitrification as Easy as 1, 2, 3

With the Vitrobot Mark IV, all essential vitrification parameters, such as temperature, the number of blottings, blotting pressure, and drain time can be programmed for each individual application and set for automatic retrieval. In fact, once the proper specimen-specific freezing parameters are set, the plunge-freezing session can be performed almost fully automatically and reproducibly. Additionally, the liquid coolant container—with anti-contamination ring—minimizes the contamination risk during the grid transfer while the optimally isolated container ensures better temperature conditions and a lower consumption rate of the liquid coolant. Finally, the grid transfer from the vitrification medium toward the grid storage box has been largely automated in order to further facilitate the sample throughput and vitrification quality.

Technical Specifications

Operating parameters

• Working temperature 4 – 60° C (at an ambient temperature range between 18 – 25° C)
• Peltier controlled heating/cooling
• Maintain relative humidity at 100%
• Ultrasonic controlled humidification