Silicone rubber for custom live cell imaging chambers

[Leoncio Vergara-2]

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Good Morning

I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone
rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I want
to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom
fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something similar
to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am
confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk
suppliers.

Thanks in advance for your feedback

Leoncio Vergara MS MD
Sr Research Director
Dept. of Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX

[Kilgore, Jason A.]

Hi, Leoncio,

Somewhat related:  Have you looked into Grace Biolabs?  They have a wide assortment of silicone gasket and chamber products, but they also make customs to your dimensions.    Their website:  www.gracebio.com

Jason

Jason A. Kilgore
Technical Application Scientist
Molecular Probes Tech Support
Thermo Fisher Scientific

-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Leoncio Vergara
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2015 8:36 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Silicone rubber for custom live cell imaging chambers

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Good Morning

I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I want to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something similar to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk suppliers.

Thanks in advance for your feedback

Leoncio Vergara MS MD
Sr Research Director
Dept. of Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX

[Roger Leigh]

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On 28/05/15 16:36, Leoncio Vergara wrote:

> I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone
> rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I want
> to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
> Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom
> fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something similar
> to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am
> confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk
> suppliers.

If you want a supplier for the raw materials to make your own gaskets,
SYLGARD 184 (Dow Corning) is quite commonly used.  It's fairly easy to
work with, and has been used for plenty of live cell culture and imaging
applications; you'll find many references to its use in the literature.
  For example,
   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2949514/
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25678107
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=pdms+in+vitro

http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/search/products/Details.aspx?prod=01064291&type=PROD&country=GBR

There are many PDMS variants with different hardnesses.  SYLGARD 184 is
liquid and easily mixed and degassed with a vacuum to remove bubbles;
others are thicker than molasses and difficult to mix and pour, and
difficult or impossible to degass, so I'd recommend it as a starting
point!  You can vary the hardness somewhat by varying the ratio of base
to linker.  But if its properties aren't ideal, there are certainly
alternatives.  I've not used it specifically for gaskets, but it does
make a good watertight seal with glass or metal (I was using it in a
metal frame, pressed against a slide-sized coverslip); there may well be
more appropriate variants if you need something less hard and more flexible.

Also, a minor note: if you get a mould machined, make sure to think of
how to extract it from the mould, since it will fit very tightly and
match every tiny bit of roughness!  If the mould itself is flexible, or
in multiple separable pieces, this can greatly reduce your frustration
and increase your chances of getting an intact moulding back out!

After moulding it, you can sterilise it with a plasma cleaner e.g.
http://harrickplasma.com/  Note the plasma cleaner also has the added
advantage of making the surface wettable, which might be useful
depending upon the application.  Before we got a plasma cleaner we used
to soak in ethanol and air dry, and then used a block copolymer to make
it wettable.  You can autoclave it if necessary (I read it could distort
the shape so haven't tried).


Regards,
Roger Leigh

--
Dr Roger Leigh -- Open Microscopy Environment
Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression,
College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street,
Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK   Tel: [phone]

The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish Charity, No: SC015096

[Leoncio Vergara-2]

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Thank you, very useful tips on working with SylgArd. I do have Sylgard and
we just got a 3d printer, i was considering using it for making molds.
However, as an alternative I don't want to give up yet on the silicone
rubber gasket idea. Combined with a biopsy punch, it would be easy to
fabricate a small number of them and would be more resistant to
manipulation than the Sylgard ones.

On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 1:33 PM, Leoncio Vergara <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> Thank you, very useful tips on working with SylgArd. I do have Sylgard and
> we just got a 3d printer, i was considering using it for making molds.
>
>
> On Thursday, May 28, 2015, Roger Leigh <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> *****
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
>> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
>> *****
>>
>> On 28/05/15 16:36, Leoncio Vergara wrote:
>>
>>  I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone
>>> rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I
>>> want
>>> to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
>>> Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom
>>> fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something
>>> similar
>>> to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am
>>> confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk
>>> suppliers.
>>>
>>
>> If you want a supplier for the raw materials to make your own gaskets,
>> SYLGARD 184 (Dow Corning) is quite commonly used.  It's fairly easy to
>> work with, and has been used for plenty of live cell culture and imaging
>> applications; you'll find many references to its use in the literature.
>>  For example,
>>   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2949514/
>>   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25678107
>>   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=pdms+in+vitro
>>
>>
>> http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/search/products/Details.aspx?prod=01064291&type=PROD&country=GBR
>>
>> There are many PDMS variants with different hardnesses.  SYLGARD 184 is
>> liquid and easily mixed and degassed with a vacuum to remove bubbles;
>> others are thicker than molasses and difficult to mix and pour, and
>> difficult or impossible to degass, so I'd recommend it as a starting
>> point!  You can vary the hardness somewhat by varying the ratio of base
>> to linker.  But if its properties aren't ideal, there are certainly
>> alternatives.  I've not used it specifically for gaskets, but it does
>> make a good watertight seal with glass or metal (I was using it in a
>> metal frame, pressed against a slide-sized coverslip); there may well be
>> more appropriate variants if you need something less hard and more
>> flexible.
>>
>> Also, a minor note: if you get a mould machined, make sure to think of
>> how to extract it from the mould, since it will fit very tightly and
>> match every tiny bit of roughness!  If the mould itself is flexible, or
>> in multiple separable pieces, this can greatly reduce your frustration
>> and increase your chances of getting an intact moulding back out!
>>
>> After moulding it, you can sterilise it with a plasma cleaner e.g.
>> http://harrickplasma.com/  Note the plasma cleaner also has the added
>> advantage of making the surface wettable, which might be useful
>> depending upon the application.  Before we got a plasma cleaner we used
>> to soak in ethanol and air dry, and then used a block copolymer to make
>> it wettable.  You can autoclave it if necessary (I read it could distort
>> the shape so haven't tried).
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> Roger Leigh
>>
>> --
>> Dr Roger Leigh -- Open Microscopy Environment
>> Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression,
>> College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street,
>> Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK   Tel: [phone]
>>
>> The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish Charity, No: SC015096
>>
>

[Michael Giacomelli]

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I've plated cells onto Sylgard 184 before with good results:

http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2010/SM/b921206j#!divAbstract

Mike

On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 1:40 PM, Roger Leigh <[hidden email]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> On 28/05/15 16:36, Leoncio Vergara wrote:
>
>  I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone
>> rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I want
>> to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
>> Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom
>> fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something
>> similar
>> to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am
>> confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk
>> suppliers.
>>
>
> If you want a supplier for the raw materials to make your own gaskets,
> SYLGARD 184 (Dow Corning) is quite commonly used.  It's fairly easy to
> work with, and has been used for plenty of live cell culture and imaging
> applications; you'll find many references to its use in the literature.
>  For example,
>   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2949514/
>   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25678107
>   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=pdms+in+vitro
>
>
> http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/search/products/Details.aspx?prod=01064291&type=PROD&country=GBR
>
> There are many PDMS variants with different hardnesses.  SYLGARD 184 is
> liquid and easily mixed and degassed with a vacuum to remove bubbles;
> others are thicker than molasses and difficult to mix and pour, and
> difficult or impossible to degass, so I'd recommend it as a starting
> point!  You can vary the hardness somewhat by varying the ratio of base
> to linker.  But if its properties aren't ideal, there are certainly
> alternatives.  I've not used it specifically for gaskets, but it does
> make a good watertight seal with glass or metal (I was using it in a
> metal frame, pressed against a slide-sized coverslip); there may well be
> more appropriate variants if you need something less hard and more
> flexible.
>
> Also, a minor note: if you get a mould machined, make sure to think of
> how to extract it from the mould, since it will fit very tightly and
> match every tiny bit of roughness!  If the mould itself is flexible, or
> in multiple separable pieces, this can greatly reduce your frustration
> and increase your chances of getting an intact moulding back out!
>
> After moulding it, you can sterilise it with a plasma cleaner e.g.
> http://harrickplasma.com/  Note the plasma cleaner also has the added
> advantage of making the surface wettable, which might be useful
> depending upon the application.  Before we got a plasma cleaner we used
> to soak in ethanol and air dry, and then used a block copolymer to make
> it wettable.  You can autoclave it if necessary (I read it could distort
> the shape so haven't tried).
>
>
> Regards,
> Roger Leigh
>
> --
> Dr Roger Leigh -- Open Microscopy Environment
> Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression,
> College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street,
> Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK   Tel: [phone]
>
> The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish Charity, No: SC015096
>

[Littlejohn, George]

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Dear Leoncio,

I'm not sure if it will suit the design of your chamber, but I make custom gaskets, which have the added advantage of being gas-permeable from polydimethylsiloxane. It is sold as "Observation Gel" by Carolina in the US and here in the UK, I can buy it from Blades Biological (no commercial interest).

All the best,
George

******************************
Dr. George Littlejohn
Halpin Laboratory,
School of Biosciences,
University of Exeter,
Geoffrey Pope Building,
Stocker Road,
EX4 4QD, UK

Telephone: [phone]
E-mail:  [hidden email]

http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/ein/
https://twitter.com/geolittlejohn

________________________________________
From: Confocal Microscopy List <[hidden email]> on behalf of Leoncio Vergara <[hidden email]>
Sent: 28 May 2015 16:36
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Silicone rubber for custom live cell imaging chambers

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
*****

Good Morning

I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone
rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I want
to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom
fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something similar
to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am
confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk
suppliers.

Thanks in advance for your feedback

Leoncio Vergara MS MD
Sr Research Director
Dept. of Surgery
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX

[Michael Model]

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It's a fish tank glue, sold in pet stores

On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 11:36 AM, Leoncio Vergara <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Good Morning
>
> I was wondering if anybody could help me find a supplier for silicone
> rubber and the specific material compatible with live cell imaging, I want
> to build a custom chamber and need to make different thickness gaskets.
> Biopthechs sells silicone rubber disks of different thicknesses to custom
> fabricate gaskets for their chambers. I need to fabricate something similar
> to fit a custom designed chamber. I have tried looking around but I am
> confused with the many types of silicone rubber available from bulk
> suppliers.
>
> Thanks in advance for your feedback
>
> Leoncio Vergara MS MD
> Sr Research Director
> Dept. of Surgery
> Baylor College of Medicine
> Houston, TX
>