Microspheres (also called latex beads or latex particles) are spherical particles in the colloidal size range that are formed from an amorphous polymer such as polystyrene. Because of the way that the polystyrene chains arrange themselves in the bead, the surface is very hydrophobic in character, making these ideal materials for the adsorption of materials such as proteins.

The carboxyl latex consists of carboxyl charge-stabilized hydrophobic polystyrene microspheres. Only carboxyl groups are present on the particle surface. The particles are the carboxyl analog of the sulfate latexes. The pKa of the carboxyl group is relatively high, and consequently these particles are not suitable for work in acidic media. IDC carboxyl latexes are available in a range of sizes and surface charge densities. They may be used either for physical adsorption of antigens or antibodies, or for covalent coupling of components to the particle surface.

Microspheres Are Available in Many Sizes and Surface Functionalities
• 25 sizes to choose from—0.02 microns to 16 microns
• 20 different surface—for ready conjugation to virtually any material
• Surfactant free—ultraclean
• Various quantities—from milliliter to 500-liter amounts

Key Applications of Microspheres
• Instrument calibration (flow cytometry, microscopy, HTS, HCS)
• Flow testing (microfluidics, blood flow, water flow, and air flow)
• Cell biology tracers (cell differentiation and cell tracing)
• Immunoassays (agglutination tests, ELISA, particle capture, and contrast reagents)

Get More Information
Read a technical overview of microspheres and find out about high activity beads, super active beads, specialty beads, and review bead-coupling protocols on the IDC Surfactant-free Latex Beads application page.

We’ll Make a Custom Microsphere Product for You
If you don’t see the microsphere you’re looking for in our stocked list, we’ll make a custom microsphere for you. Our custom conjugation service is efficient and confidential, and we guarantee the quality of our work. We are ISO 13485:2000 certified.

For Research Use Only. Not intended for animal or human therapeutic or diagnostic use.