Vitrobot Mark IV

The vitrification process
Highly automated vitrification process with enclosed process chamber:

• Automated shutter control allows smooth, instant injection of the sample grid into the coolant (liquid ethane or propane). A lift for the container brings the coolant close to the shutter to ensure optimal vitrification.
• Synchronous lowering of the coolant container and the grid holder keeps the grid submerged in the coolant and minimizes the risk of contamination prior to transfer ring the sample into a storage box or cryo holder.  
• Coolant container with integrated anti-contamination ring.  
• Grid transfer from the coolant towards a grid box in the liquid nitrogen environment is semi-automated. 

Sample application
Vitrobot Mark IV System provides precise and flexible control of all critical parameters in the plunge-freezing process:

• Small sample volumes can be applied manually with a pipette through a small side port on the left and the right side of the climate chamber.
• Both application time and wait time (between application and blotting) are software controlled and can be set in the user interface.
• Precisely timed control of multiple sample applications, blotting actions, and vitrification enables time resolved analysis of interactions among separately applied components. 

Vitrobot Mark IV System interface and instrument control
Easy and flexible user interface:

• Linux operating system  
• Touch screen control and set-up 
• Mouse and foot pedal controls also available 

Vitrobot blotting device:

• Excess fluid is removed from the grid by (repeated) blotting with filter paper on rotating foam pads.
• Number of blotting actions (max. 16 times for one grid) and duration of blotting are software controlled and can be set in the user interface.  
• Longitudinal grid positioning (‘blot offset’) and wait time between blotting and vitrification (‘drain time’) are user definable.