This page should point you to the many different general and lab-specific protocols describing tissue and cell lysis and serve as forum for comparison. The ups and downs of various methods from sonication, homogenization, freeze-thaw cycles, and detergent-based lysis are examined below.

Comparison of lysis methods

Sonication

• most efficient method of cell fractionation
• problem: heat build up which can denature proteins (proportionate to length of sonication)
• precaution: do on ice and sonicate intermittantly

material: ultrasonication bath or rods

Homogenisation

• best for animal tissue; less suitable for cells
• precaution: do on ice to reduce heat build-up and denaturation

material: drills (polytron), pestle/tube (dounce) bead beaters

Freeze-thaw

• least effective method
• plus: does not denature proteins as much as other methods

material: pestle and mortar, liquid nitrogen

Detergents

• chemical method of lysis
• problems: detergent may inhibit subsequent reactions
• problems: detergent may disrupts protein interactions

no additional material required, just the chemicals and typical tubes

Specific protocols