The Hitachi Software MiraiBio Group Blog

Standard Curves are used in chemistry to determine the concentration of a substance. The X axis of a standard curve has units of concentration, while the Y axis usually has units of transmission or absorption of light of a particular frequency dependent on the substance of interest (usually a florescent reporter or dye). A standard curve is represented by an equation that is fit to a series of observations using known concentrations. These observations are plotted and an equation corresponding to the model being tested is regressively fit to the data. After establishing a standard curve for a particular substance, unknown concentrations can be evaluated by taking a measurement and selecting the value on the X axis (concentration) corresponding to the point on the standard curve with the appropriate Y value.

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The Hitachi Software MiraiBio Online Store has opened it’s doors for business on July 1st, 2008.  Currently, the product catalog includes:

• Luminex MicroPlex xTAG Microspheres (FlexMAP)
• Luminex MicroPlex Microspheres (Carboxylated)
• Luminex LumAvidin Microspheres
• Luminex SeroMAP Microspheres
• Luminex Calibration and Control Microspheres

Just like any other e-commerce site, all you have to do is add the beads you want to your shopping cart and checkout.  It just does not get any easier.

Many of the FlexMAP (now called xTAG) microsphere users relied on the TagIT software to help choose which microsphere sets to use in genetic detection assays run on the xMAP platform. When the TagIT software was removed these users no longer had a reliable way to design their assays. Well the good news is that TagIT is back! Read the rest of this entry »

Just as a rose by any other name smells as sweet, MicroPlex Microspheres, formerly known as xMap compatible Multi-Analyte COOH Microspheres or Carboxylated Beads, have a new name, but still deliver excellent results for researchers seeking cost-effective, quick, and focused bioassays.

Polystyrene MicroPlex Microspheres are sold by several vendors, and are essentially identical in size, concentration, and shelf life. Also known as beads, they are internally labeled with dyes and contain exposed carboxyl groups for the covalent attachment of ligands and biomolecules. As opposed to solid planar arrays, beads are used in wet chemistry, taking advantage of faster liquid reaction kinetics, requiring smaller sample sizes, and delivering faster, more reproducible results than solid, planar alternatives.

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