Instruction manual

PV820/PV830 Pneumatic PicoPump

World Precision Instruments 1

ABOUT THIS MANUAL

The following symbols are used in this guide:

This symbol indicates a CAUTION. Cautions warn against actions that can cause

damage to equipment. Please read these carefully.

This symbol indicates a WARNING. Warnings alert you to actions that can cause

personal injury or pose a physical threat. Please read these carefully.

NOTES and TIPS contain helpful information.

Fig. 1—PV820 Pneumatic PicoPump (top) and PV830 Pneumatic PicoPump with vacuum

regulation (bottom)

INTRODUCTION

Designed to simplify intracellular injection and a variety of other micro in jec tion tasks,

PicoPumps use carefully regulated air pres sures for se cur ing cells and injecting them

with ﬂ uid. Injected volumes range from picoliters to nanoliters. Separate ports supply

positive and negative pressure—pos i tive pressure for high-pressure ejection, and suction for

supporting the cell or for ﬁ lling the pipette from the tip. A second pressure port maintains a

low positive “holding” pres sure to the injecting pipette between injection pulses, to prevent

ﬂ uid up take through capillary action.

Timing, ejection pressure, hold ing pressure, and suction are adjusted inde pen dent ly by

control knobs and in di ca tor gaug es on the front panel. Injection pressure is controlled by

a 20-turn regulator on the front panel. A built-in timing circuit allows precise control of the