Eppendorf, a life science company that develops and sells instruments, consumable and services for liquid handling, sample handling, and cell handling in laboratories worldwide announced the launch of CellTram  4 Air and CellTram 4 Oil, which raise the bar in terms of ease of use and performance for manual microinjectors.

 The company noted that the CellTram 4 Air is a pneumatic injector ideal for gentle holding of cells or embryos in suspension. At the same time it is highly suitable for the uptake and injection of cells (e.g., of sperm or ES cells). Therefore, users can set up their workstation with air injectors on both the holding and injection side and conduct microinjections entirely oil-free. Additional new features of the CellTram 4 Air are the dual coarse/fine drive, and the piston position scale, which allows setting the injector’s pressure characteristics according to personal preference.

 The release from the company stated that the CellTram 4 Oil is optimal for users who prefer the direct responsiveness of an oil-filled injector. It features a new oil-filling system that minimizes oil spills and helps save time during the filling process.

Both models have been designed with special emphasis on excellent ergonomics, ease of use and high precision. They also feature improved accessories, such as a scaled capillary holder 4 for reproducible mounting, and a new grip head 4 for easier capillary exchange and better user safety. For transgenic customers, a new capillary holder 4 (slim shape) is available that allows for injecting at angles <15° in combination with Eppendorf manipulators. Flat angle injections can help minimize mechanical trauma, thereby contributing to higher survival rates of the injected cells.