Instructions on CryoCup Grinder

	BioSpec Products, Inc. (800) 617-3363 or (918) 336-3363

Instructions on Cryo-cup Grinder

The CRYO-CUP GRINDER is a mortar and pestle specifically designed to pulverize and powder soft plant and animal tissue samples at liquid nitrogen temperatures. It consists of a double-wall insulating cup in which is embedded a stainless steel, semi-circular bowl or mortar. Up to 5 grams of issue is placed in the pre-cooled mortar and ground to a fine powder with a special pestle made of non-heat conductive plastic. Two different sized pestles are provided for a variety of applications.

Selecting the correct size pestle:: For samples over 1 gram start with the smaller polypropylene ball (1 3/8 inch diameter). Use the larger ball (1 7/8 inch diameter) with smaller sized samples. The larger ball will give a finer grind.

Cooling the Cryo-Cup Grinder: Using a Dewer (Thermosä) flask as the container, draw about a cup-full of liq N2 from a liq N2 tank. Slowly add liq N2 to the stainless steel cup. At first, liq N2 will quickly evaporate off the cup’s surface. Continue to slowly add liq N2 until a small amount of liq N2 remains in the stainless steel cup. The Cryo-Cup Grinder (CCG) is now cold enough to proceed with grinding. There is no need to have a puddle of liq N2 in the CCG during use. The cup should retain its cold long enough to complete the grinding. Further addition of liq N2 may be needed if you are working up multiple samples.

Because the pestle (the black ball plus black handle) is made of inert plastic, it is a poor heat conductor. That is the intent of the design. The pestle will not transfer sufficient heat to the sample during grinding to melt the sample. Do not try to thoroughly cool the pestle. At the most, cool its surface briefly with liq N2. Deep cooling of the pestle will cause stress cracks and eventual destruction of the pestle ball. There is an exception to this advice: If you have purchased an accessory solid stainless steel ball, it should be thoroughly cooled before use. A stainless steel ball on the pestle is only needed if you are processing many samples and/or the grinding process goes on for an extended time.

Grinding process: The tissue sample MUST BE HARD FROZEN in liq N2 before attempting to grind. Begin with a downward, circular motion of the pestle inside the cup. Sometimes it will be necessary to gently hammer the sample with the pestle to break it up into smaller sized pieces so that the circular motion of the pestle can finish the grinding. Work quickly in transferring the ground sample. Once removed from the stainless steel cup surface it can quickly thaw.

Cleaning the Cryo-Cup Grinder: The stainless steel insert of the mortar can be removed by taping the open cup, upside down, against a table top. Prompt washing and drying of all parts is recommended. Despite the name, stainless steel can be attacked by biomaterial. Washed parts can be autoclaved, if desired.

Additional CryoCups, without the pestles, are available for processing multiple samples without having to clean the grinder between samples. Cat. No. 206C, $34 each. Stainless steel balls for the pestle are also available. Details at http://www.biospec.com/Cryo-cup%20Grinder.htm.