The Spiral MillTM from CellcrusherTM is a cooled bead homogenizer for disrupting tough microorganisms such as yeast, fungus and algae.
It is designed specifically for protein-scale work, accommodating 1-6 g samples. These samples are disrupted in reusable grinding chambers ($2 each), which are made of stainless steel to facilitate cooling.
The unique cell disruption process involves a rotating spiral inside a stainless steel grinding chamber. In the narrow space between the spiral and the chamber wall, violent collisions occur between glass beads and cells, resulting in fast, effective cell lysis. The frictional heat generated is conducted away through the steel chamber walls.
Unlike other bead homogenizers, the sample chamber does not move, as agitation is induced by the rotating spiral. This design facilitates an uncomplicated, reliable cooling system involving pumped ice water. Temperature remains around 20C during processing.
The novel chamber design and simple cooling system means that the Spiral...
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