The advantages of miniaturization are obvious. Conserving precious enzymes and substrates, reducing reagent cost, and increasing throughput continue to drive researchers toward lower reaction volumes. However, dealing with nanoliter-range samples without proper liquid-handling equipment has consequences. Nonspecific binding of proteins to pins or nozzles during transfer alters concentration. Insufficient cleaning after any contact liquid transfer can cause cross contamination between samples. Shear forces from air-displacement liquid handling can injure cells. Regardless of the liquid-transfer technique used, poor transfer precision and low accuracy lead to inconsistent results.
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