I am looking into standardizing our range of bio storage tubes (cryogenic vials). These will be for both blood and tissue samples and their derivatives.
Any recommendations, comments on Micronics, Nalgene, Nunc and or others that are suitable for long term -80 C and -196 C storage, DNA/RNA suitable, would be gratefully received.
9 Comments
Menghong Sun, M.D., Ph.D
August 22, 2012We did compare a lot vendors. We found Greiner (Germany) cryotubes are very well. They have choices for both internal rotation and external rotation caps, the later is better for the tissue you need to keep alive. Different cap color for distinguishing RNA or DNA. The price is acceptable, too. Hope this helps.
Jane Carpenter
August 22, 2012We use Greiner, 2ml with internal thread and star foot. Big advantage for us is that we can order them pre-barcoded – so even if any secondary label drops off in 20 years time, we know what it in the tube. We use these for blood, serum/plasma and fresh tissue. They have been very reliable in both -80 and vapour phase.
For DNA we use SSI 0.5ml sterile tubes with external thread screw caps.
Our Australian supplier is Interpath.
Richard L. Thorp
August 22, 2012ILSBio has used Nunc and Nalgene cryo vials for many years without problems. We do insist on internal threads. Our experience and research shows that internally threaded tops significantly reduce the siphoning of LN2 into the vials. When vials are compromised, where LN2 vapor or liquid seeps into the vial, they sometimes pop (explode) when exposed to room temperature air. This rarely happens with internal threaded vials as when frozen the vial increases its grip on the threads of the top.
The downside is that a specimen cannot be slipped out of an internally threaded vial. Either the vial must be cut or the specimen “unscrewed” past the threads. Our lab personnel have become quite adept at this.
Iren Koppandi
August 22, 2012In our experience of 10 years, the Nunc cryo vials are the most suited for applications at -80C or -196 C.
Ellis Gitlin
August 22, 2012One thing you may want to consider is using a 2D barcoded tube. Even though they may be a little more expensive than non-barcoded tubes, they lend themselves better to automation if you should go down that path. Greiner, FluidX, and NUNC all make 2D bar-coded cryo vials.
Kerry Wiles
August 22, 2012Depending on your storage capabilities, racking systems etc, you may want to look into a straw system. Unfortunately, they would only be for biofluids, but if you expect to generate a lot of aliquots, the space you would save is pretty substantial.
Yvonne De Souza
August 22, 2012We use Nunc for tissues and PBMCs. Sarstedt cryovials for fluids stores at -80 (ex: serum, plasma, saliva), etc.
Scott Morris
August 22, 2012Matrix also makes some good tubes that we use. They come in 0.5mL, 1mL, 2mL and 5mL. The smaller ones tend to work well for DNA/RNA/etc, and the 2mL is similar in size to standard 1.8ml cryovials. I haven’t worked with the 5mL, but they would probably work well for blood and other liquids where you need to store a larger volume.
Matrix and NUNC make 48- and 96-format tubes that are stored in plates that fit a standard SBS footprint, making them work well for a wide range of automation, from capper/decappers to liquid handlers to robotics that pick and rearray tubes. All tubes are pre-barcoded on the bottom, allowing you to put your own label on the side. The NUNC ones, however, cannot be used in automated picking/rearraying robots because the bottom of them is keyed to fit into the rack in a way that the robot cannot put them back in.
Patrick McCarthy Sr
August 22, 2012You may want to consider the Simport cryo-bio vial line. Variety of sizes – internal and external thread design – variety of bottoms and can be color coded (DNA/RNA suitable). Reasonable cost.