Formedium Agarose Ultrapure Available Now

Agarose is a highly purified linear galactan hydrocolloid isolated from seaweed Gelidium species which forms a firm gel matrix with a high strength at low concentrations making it ideal for diffusion and electrokinetic movement of biopolymers such as DNA and RNA. Our Agarose Ultrapure is recommended for electrophoresis of nucleic acids > 1000 bp. It is manufactured and quality controlled specifically to meet the stringent requirements associated with nucleic acid applications.

Unique characteristics – Biotechnology and Molecular Biology

Agarose forms a 3D gel matrix of helical agarose molecules in supercoiled bundles. Each bundle is held by hydrogen bonds, with channels and pores through which molecules are able to migrate. The gel structure contains uniform pore sizes, allowing for the separation of biomolecules based on their size, charge, or affinity. This makes Agarose a crucial component in gel electrophoresis, used to separate and analyse DNA, RNA, and proteins based on their size and charge.

Agarose gels are transparent in appearance, allowing for visual analysis of separated molecules in gel electrophoresis without the need for staining or additional treatment. The gels also maintain their structure, even at relatively high temperatures, making them suitable for applications that involve heat, such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis of short synthetic DNA fragments.

Agarose is also biologically compatible with living cells, making it suitable for biological applications such as tissue engineering, where it serves as a scaffold for cell growth. Their biocompatibility and ability to mimic certain aspects of the extracellular matrix make them useful for growing cells in three-dimensional environments, aiding in tissue regeneration research.

Other Industries and applications

Agarose possesses several key characteristics that make it highly valuable in various research applications and finds extensive use across a wide range of other industries including microbiology, pharmaceuticals, and tissue engineering. Due to its thickening properties it also used in the food and cosmetics industries.

Microbiology

Agarose is the primary component in creating agar plates, providing a solid medium for culturing micro-organisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Nutrient-rich agar media solidified with agarose provide a surface for microbial growth and isolation. These plates serve as a foundation for bacterial or fungal growth and are essential in microbiological research, including antibiotic sensitivity testing and identification of pathogens.

Pharmaceuticals

In pharmaceutical research and production, agarose plays a vital role in chromatography processes. It’s employed in the purification of proteins, antibodies, enzymes, and other biomolecules due to its ability to create a porous matrix that facilitates separation based on size, charge, or affinity.

Tissue Engineering

In tissue engineering, Agarose hydrogels serve as scaffolds for cell cultures. Their biocompatibility and ability to mimic certain aspects of the extracellular matrix make them useful for growing cells in three-dimensional environments, aiding in tissue regeneration studies and the development of biomaterials.

Food Industry

In the food industry Agarose is used as a gelling agent and because it is derived from seaweed is a suitable vegetarian alternative to gelatin. Its texture, stability and transparent characteristics make it ideal for use in desserts, confectionery, jams and jellies or where visual appeal is essential.

Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals

Agarose is also found in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations. It is commonly used in skincare products such as lotions, creams and gels giving a smooth texture. It’s biocompatibility and stabilising properties mean products can be used safely on skin and helps maintain the products stability preventing separation of ingredients.

Formedium Agarose Ultrapure is available in 25g, 100g, 250g, 500g, 1kg