For
tissue homogenisation, laboratory professionals and researchers often
face the dilemma when selecting a suitable tissue homogenizer to meet
their needs. Typically, there are two types of homogenizers – high-speed
and ultrasonic. Although both devices aim to achieve the same goals,
which is to break down tissue samples, each one has its set of pros and
cons. To streamline the decision, you need to analyse the features,
advantages, and disadvantages of both the devices to make the right
decision but first let us understand what tissue homogenization is.
Things to know about tissue homogenisation
Tissue
homogenisation is a process where tissue samples undergo disruption to
extract nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and various cellular
components. The primary reason for researchers to conduct this process
in the laboratory is to break the cells without damaging the parts that
are to be used for further analysis. Now, what’s really important is the
method of homogenisation as it may impact both the quantity and quality
of various extracted materials.
There
are two ways to achieve homogenisation – using high-speed and
ultrasonic devices. Here is a detailed account of high-speed vs
ultrasonic homogenizer for you to choose the right equipment.
High-speed tissue homogenizer
A high speed tissue homogenizer
comprises a motorized system operating at very high speed that is
enough to shear the tissues. In this device, the movement of the
rotating blades help in breaking down tissues into very small particles.
Usually,
the sample tissue is placed in a homogenisation tube and the rotor
blades are submerged into the samples. When the rotor spins very fast,
it creates an amount of force that helps in breaking down the tissues
and the release of intracellular components.
Pros of high-speed tissue homogenizer
Wondering
what makes the high-speed homogenizer a suitable device for studying
the intracellular components? Here is what you need to know:
A high speed tissue homogenizer
can break down volumes of samples in one go and this is particular
useful for laboratories where homogenisation of multiple tissue samples
need to take place within a short time.
This
type of homogenizer is available in a wide range of sizes which makes
it easy to choose one that suits your workspace. So, you can get small
handheld units or larger models for small and large volume applications.
The
high-speed device is capable of handling various types of tissues,
whether soft or hard like liver and muscles without requiring
specialised attachments.
Due to high shear force that the rotor generates, the homogenization achieved is consistent across multiple samples.
High
speed homogenizers are usually more cost-effective compared to
ultrasonic homogenizers when you compare its capacity of processing
high-volume and multiple samples.
Cons of high-speed homogenizer
Here are a few disadvantages of high-speed tissue homogenizer:
Due
to high-speed rotational motion, high-speed tissue homogenizers often
generate very high amount of heat, causing degradation of heat-sensitive
compounds when the setup is not controlled carefully.
While
high-shear forces are useful for disrupting tissues, it may also lead
to damage in the samples, especially for those intracellular components
that are sensitive to mechanical stress.
While
homogenizers are good for disruption of tissues, it lacks the fine
control that is needed for those applications where precision matters
like handling fragile or delicate samples.
Ultrasonic homogenizer
The
ultrasonic homogenizer uses very high-frequency sound waves also called
ultrasound to disrupt tissue samples. Here, repaid pressure changes
take place in the liquid medium and create small bubbles that explode
and create shear forces that leads to disruption of tissues.
You
need to just place the samples in the liquid medium and a probe that
emits ultrasound waves, which cause the tissues to disrupt and release
of cellular components.
Pros of ultrasonic homogenizer
If
you want to delve into the differences in homogenisation, here is a
detailed of the advantages of using an ultrasonic homogenizer ad here
they are:
- Reduced generation of heat
Although
ultrasonic homogenizers generate a lot of heat, they can perform
equally well in cooler environments and reduce the risk of thermal
damage to a great extent. That is one of the reasons why they are
preferred for heat-sensitive samples.
Ultrasonic
devices offer good control over the process of homogenisation and allow
users to adjust various parameters like amplitude, power, and time to
achieve the desired results. This is especially useful for those tissue
samples that are highly delicate.
- Homogenisation in smaller volumes
With
this device, processing small volumes of samples are good for different
research applications. The ultrasonic homogenizers are highly useful
for situations where researchers need to obtain high throughput with
limited amount of samples.
When
it comes to disruption of tough tissue samples, ultrasonic homogenizers
are highly effective. Samples comprising tough and fibrous tissues that
are otherwise difficult to homogenize becomes easy with this device.
Cons of ultrasonic homogenizer
You need to get glimpses of the reasons why you might avoid using an ultrasonic homogenizer:
Although
ultrasonic homogenizers are deemed as appropriate for smaller samples,
the processing time shoots for large volumes of samples. Moreover, they
are usually more expensive than high speed homogenizers.
These
devices are not useful for large-scale homogenization due to smaller
probe size and restricted power of processing, making them largely
suitable for smaller samples.
The
efficiency of homogenization using the ultrasonic device depends on
various factors like volume and types of samples and the positioning of
the probe. That way, the results you obtain may become inconsistent.
Both
high-speed tissue homogenizers and ultrasonic homogenizers are
indispensable tools for disruption of tissues. Each has its advantages
and disadvantages in terms of speed, versatility, and efficiency and
processing volumes. You need to identify your specific needs before
making the decision. Here is how you need to identify your needs:
- For
large volumes of tissue samples and multiple samples, a high-speed
tissue homogenizer is a cost-effective option for laboratories
- For tough and fibrous tissues like seeds, bone, and plant materials, the ultrasonic homogenizer provides better results.
- For
processing small volumes of samples one at a time, the ultrasonic
homogenizer provides better control but it won’t be useful for multiple
samples
- For laboratories running under shoestring budget, the
high-speed tissue homogenizer is most versatile for generic tissue
disruption.
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