Worthington Tissue Dissociation Guide

Methods and Materials: Trituration

(Cell dispersion through mild pumping action)

This can be a crucial procedure. It serves to break up the tissue fragments following incubation in the dissociation mix. If done too vigorously, cells will be destroyed lowering viability; too weakly and tissue fragments will be left intact lowering yield. Gentle trituration, using a 10 ml pipette, constitutes filling and emptying the barrel at a rate of about 3.0 ml per sec. You can best determine a suitable rate for your tissue through trial and error. Avoid bubbling the cell suspension.

Next: Enzymatic Cell Harvesting

Tissue Tables (references, grouped by tissue type and species)

Adipose/Fat Adrenal Bone Brain
Cartilage Colon Endothelial Epithelial
Eye Heart Intestine Kidney
Liver Lung Mammary Muscle
Neural Pancreas Parotid Pituitary
Prostate Reproductive Scales Skin
Stem Thymus Thyroid/Parathyroid Tumor

Note: We have not limited the references listed to only those papers using Worthington enzymes. Generally speaking, the tissue dissociation enzymes offered by Worthington can be used interchangeably for most preparations cited.