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Genetics & Biotechnology vocabulary · PCR and Laboratory Methods

Spin down

Meaning in genetics & biotechnology, with examples

phrasal verbCommon term

In genetics & biotechnology, spin down means: To centrifuge tubes for a few seconds so that all the liquid, including drops on the walls or lid, collects at the bottom.

In Turkish: kısa santrifüjlemek, santrifüjle dibe toplamak

How it is used

Very common in spoken lab English and in protocols: 'briefly spin down the tubes before opening'. The object can also go in the middle: 'spin the tubes down'. The verb 'centrifuge' is used for longer, faster runs, such as pelleting cells.

Example sentences

  1. Spin down the reagents before you open the tubes.

  2. Can you spin the plate down? There are bubbles in some wells.

Common collocations

  • spin down briefly
  • spin down the tubes
  • quick spin
  • spin down the plate
  • pipetteA lab tool for measuring and moving small, exact volumes of liquid. In molecular biology it usually means an adjustable micropipette used with disposable tips.
  • DNA extractionThe process of separating and purifying DNA from cells or tissue, such as blood, saliva or plant leaves, so that it can be used for PCR or sequencing.
  • PCRPolymerase chain reaction: a lab method that makes millions of copies of a chosen DNA region by repeating cycles of heating and cooling with primers and a DNA polymerase.

More terms: PCR and Laboratory Methods

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