The thin walled strips are made of an activated, heat stable, polymer and support covalent binding of DNA by carbodiimide mediated condensation. The results can be read on a colorimeter or a fluorometer. Surface Polycarbonate TopYield Strips have the same configuration as NucleoLink Strips. They are designed for solution phase PCR and are compatible with several V-bottom, 0.2 ml tube block thermal cyclers. The thin walled strips mimic heating and cooling curves of standard 0.2 ml amplification tubes.
Strips have the added benefit of an optical window with a flat readable bottom.
This alteration of the plastic surface is accomplished by either a corona or plasma discharge treatment under carefully controlled conditions. Essentially, both methodologies add oxygen in the form of carboxyl groups into the molecular structure of the plastic surface. This creates a negatively charged surface that is suitable for cell attachment and growth. Suspension cultures do not require cell attachment to a growth substrate to ensure proliferation. Typically adherent cells grow well on modified plastic substrates, but sometimes glass is required for either its chemical compatibility or its optical characteristics.