Laboratory Materials & Instrumentation Review

Review key laboratory materials and instrumentation vocabulary essential for understanding laboratory procedures.

Centrifuge

An instrument used to separate substances of different masses or densities.

RPM

Revolutions per minute, measuring the speed of the centrifuge.

RCF

Relative Centrifugal Force, the force needed to separate the components of a sample.

Horizontal Centrifuge

Centrifuge that holds tubes in a vertical position when not moving and in a horizontal position in full motion, generating low speeds.

Angle Head Centrifuge

Centrifuge that holds tubes at a fixed angle (25-52°) during centrifugation, producing less heat and adequate for cell packing.

Ultracentrifuge

Generates the highest speeds and is recommended for lipoprotein separation, operates at a fixed angle and is refrigerated.

Borosilicate Glassware

The most commonly used glassware in laboratories, known for high thermal resistance.

Pyrex and Kimax

Examples of borosilicate glassware.

Calibrating Media for TD Pipets

Distilled water.

Calibrating Media for TC Pipets

Mercury.

Graduated Pipets

Pipets designed to deliver specific amounts of fluid, used in laboratory procedures.

Blown Out Pipet

Pipet with etched rings that requires the last drop to be blown out for exact volume.

Self-draining Pipet

Pipet that allows liquid to drain by gravity without etched rings.

Air Displacement Pipet

Commonly used pipet that relies on a piston for suction and uses a disposable tip.

Positive Displacement Pipet

Functions like a hypodermic needle and requires recalibration but does not need a tip.

StatFax Machine

Modern spectrophotometer used in laboratories.

Beer-Lambert's Law

States concentration of a substance is directly proportional to the absorbed light.

Fluorometry

Method to measure light intensity emitted by a molecule after excitation by electromagnetic radiation.

Batch Testing

All samples are loaded at once, and a single test is conducted on each.

Continuous Flow Analyzer

Uses a system of continuous tubing and tests are performed in parallel.

Hyperglycemia

Increased blood glucose levels, above 126 mg/dL.

Hypoglycemia

Decreased blood glucose levels, below 50 mg/dL.

Insulin

The hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose levels.

Glucose

The only carbohydrate directly utilized as a source of energy by the body.

Glycogen

The major storage form of glucose in humans.

Diabetes Mellitus

A metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to insulin secretion defects.

Type 1 Diabetes

A form of diabetes where the pancreas produces little to no insulin due to autoimmune destruction.

Type 2 Diabetes

A form of diabetes characterized by insulin resistance and insufficient insulin production.