What are microplates used for in the laboratory?

Microplates are used for a wide range of laboratory applications including ELISA, cell culture, high-throughput screening, PCR, compound storage, absorbance and fluorescence assays, sample preparation, and biobanking. They enable parallel processing of multiple samples in a standardized format.

What is the difference between polypropylene and polystyrene microplates?

Polypropylene microplates offer superior chemical resistance (compatible with DMSO and organic solvents) and wider temperature tolerance (-196°C to +121°C), making them ideal for compound storage and solvent-based workflows. Polystyrene plates provide better optical clarity and cell culture compatibility, making them preferred for ELISA, absorbance assays, and cell-based research.

What does SBS/ANSI standard mean for microplates?

SBS (Society for Biomolecular Screening) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards define the external footprint dimensions of microplates at 127.76 × 85.48 mm. This standardization ensures that plates from any manufacturer fit universal automated equipment including plate readers, liquid handlers, and robotic systems.

How do I choose between 96-well and 384-well microplates?

Choose 96-well plates for general laboratory work, moderate throughput, and when larger well volumes (100–2000 µL) are needed. Choose 384-well plates for high-throughput screening, reagent conservation, and when processing large numbers of samples. Consider your liquid handling equipment capabilities and assay volume requirements.

Can microplates be autoclaved?

Polypropylene microplates can typically be autoclaved at 121°C. Polystyrene microplates generally cannot withstand autoclave temperatures and should not exceed 80°C. Always check manufacturer specifications for your specific plate before autoclaving.

Microplates

Arctic White microplates are precision-engineered laboratory consumables built for high-throughput screening, compound storage, ADME assays, and automated liquid handling workflows. Every plate in our catalog conforms to ANSI/SBS footprint standards, ensuring seamless compatibility with liquid handling robots, plate readers, washers, and stackers from all major instrument manufacturers.

Our microplate range spans 24-well, 48-well, 96-well, and 384-well formats in polypropylene, polystyrene, and glass-coated configurations. Well geometries include round bottom, V-bottom, flat bottom, conical, and pyramid — matched to specific applications from nucleic acid isolation to compound dilution. Deep well plates (1.0 mL, 2.0 mL/well) are ideal for sample archiving, intermediate storage, and bulk reagent transfers, while low-profile and low-volume plates minimize dead volume in expensive assay reagents.

All Arctic White microplates are manufactured under ISO-certified quality systems and are available in sterile and non-sterile variants, with natural or colored polypropylene options for easy visual differentiation between plate types. Whether you're running cell-based assays, pharmacokinetic studies, or building a compound library, our microplate line gives you the format flexibility and lot-to-lot consistency that modern drug discovery labs demand.