Dynabeads magnetic beads offer reliable and reproducible results through gentle and efficient magnetic bead-based separation, suitable for a wide range of applications including cells, T cells, proteins, and exosomes. These beads are highly cited within the research community, significantly contributing to advancements in life sciences, biotechnology, and clinical research. Supported by over 30 years of Dynabeads expertise, Thermo Fisher Scientific offers exceptional service and support for all Dynabeads products.


What are Dynabeads magnetic beads?

Dynabeads magnetic beads are superparamagnetic, uniform, and spherical particles used for the isolation, separation, and purification of various biological molecules and cells in both research and clinical research applications.

Scientists trust Dynabeads products for several reasons:

  • Magnetic bead separation—gentle on cells, proteins, and nucleic acids, maintaining viability and sample integrity without the need for columns or centrifugation
  • Uniform bead size—helps ensure consistent binding properties and highly reproducible results
  • Spherical shape and defined surface chemistry—reduces aggregation and nonspecific binding
  • Broad surface functionalities—facilitates the specific separation of a wide range of biological entities, from molecules to cells
  • Polymer shell—protects targets from toxic exposure to iron, crucial for cell isolation and expansion
  • Custom beads and OEM partnerships—product specialists collaborate with leading biotech, pharma, and clinical research organizations to help provide optimized and validated Dynabeads magnetic beads under custom and OEM supply arrangements

The Dynabeads magnetic separation protocol generally consists of three simple steps: bind, wash, and release. When selecting Dynabeads products, there are two main considerations: bead size and coating. Dynabeads magnetic beads come in several sizes and surface functionalities, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. Some beads are precoupled with a biomolecule (ligand), which can be an antibody, protein, antigen, DNA/RNA probe, or any other molecule with an affinity for the desired target. Ready-to-use Dynabeads products and kits are available for many applications, and for assays that require flexibility, a range of Dynabeads products with specific characteristics are available, helping ensure that users can find the right beads for their specific needs.


Dynabeads magnetic bead separation applications

Learn more about application areas and how Dynabeads products can help your research.


Featured Dynabeads magnetic beads

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How does magnetic bead separation work?

The Dynabeads magnetic separation protocol generally consists of three simple steps. No centrifugation steps or columns are required for sample processing, and the protocol can be run manually with Invitrogen DynaMag magnetic racks or automated on Thermo Scientific KingFisher instruments.

  • Bind—Dynabeads magnetic beads bind to the desired target (e.g., cells, microorganisms, nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, protein complexes, etc.). In the example shown (Figure 1), an antibody is attached to the surface of the magnetic bead.
  • Wash—The beads respond to a magnetic field, allowing bound material to be rapidly and efficiently collected on the magnet and separated from the rest of the sample. Unbound material remains in the supernatant and is removed by aspiration.
  • Release—The bead-bound target is released from the surface of the beads in a suitable volume for use in downstream applications. Alternatively, the bead-bound target can be used directly while still attached to the beads.
Dynabeads work in three steps: bind, wash, and release.

Figure 1. Dynabeads work in three steps: bind, wash, and release. 

Video: Magnetic separation using Dynabeads magnetic beads

Dynal is built on a breakthrough that revolutionized the separation of biological materials. In 1976, the Norwegian professor John Ugelstad first succeeded in making spherical polystyrene beads of uniform size—only previously achieved by NASA in the weightless conditions of space. Another amazing achievement followed when the uniform beads were made magnetizable.

As the first mono-disperse solid-phase in solution, these pioneering innovations defined magnetic separation technology and allowed researchers to get lab results that were previously unattainable. A wide range of easy-to-use Dynabeads magnetic beads have since been developed, creating unlimited possibilities for biological discovery. Over the years, this Dynabeads magnetic bead technology has been used in a staggering range of applications within life sciences, biotech, and healthcare.

  • 1980—The technology behind the superparamagnetic beads was licensed to Dyno Industries.
  • 1982—Dynabeads magnetic beads were commercially developed with Pharmacia Fine Chemicals in Uppsala, Sweden (now part of GE Healthcare).
  • 1986—Dynal AS was established.
  • 2000—Through the acquisition of Dyno Particles, Dynal obtained control of the entire manufacturing chain, along with extensive IPR and know-how for both magnetic and non-magnetic particles.
  • 2001—Dynal Biotech was acquired by Nordic Capital and Ratos AB, Sweden.
  • 2003—Two Pel-Freez companies in Brown Deer (USA) and Beijing (China) became part of Dynal Biotech.
  • 2005—Invitrogen acquired Dynal Biotech.
  • 2006—Dynal changed its name to Invitrogen Dynal AS.

Exceptional product quality and reproducibility has always been the hallmark of Dynal. Inspired by the Norwegian invention of magnetic bead-based separation technology, we are committed to helping deliver consistency and reduce variability in your protocols.


Versatility of Dynabeads magnetic beads

There are two main considerations for Dynabeads products—bead size and coating. Many optimized Dynabeads magnetic beads are ready for immediate use in a variety of applications. Alternatively, you can easily prepare magnetic beads with your own antibody, oligonucleotide, or other ligand of choice. 

  • Size—Dynabeads magnetic beads come in 4.5, 2.8, or 1.0 µm sizes for different applications. Typically, larger beads are used with intact cells for isolation and expansion. Smaller beads are used with molecules including proteins and nucleic acids.
  • Specificity—To capture specific cells or molecules, Dynabeads products that are already conjugated to molecules like antibodies or protein G can be purchased. The beads can also be included as part of a kit.
  • Flexibility—Streptavidin-coated, surface-activated, or custom and OEM beads can be used to customize the beads with your molecule of interest.
     

There are a multitude of ways to use Dynabeads magnetic beads for cell, protein, ligand, or nucleic acid isolation. View the table below to determine which Dynabeads product will work best with your starting sample and downstream application.

TypeProductStarting sampleBenefits
StreptavidinDynabeads FlowComp Flexi KitPBMC, blood, single cell suspensions from lymph nodes, spleen, or other tissuesThis kit facilitates everything you need for labeling of antibodies and subsequent cell isolation. Beads are removed after isolation to obtain pure and viable cells suitable for any downstream application.
CELLection Biotin Binder KitPBMC, tissue digests, bloodUse with any biotinylated antibody to positively isolate cells from any species. The beads are removed after isolation to obtain pure and viable cells for use in any application.
Dynabeads Biotin BinderPBMC, tissue digests, bloodIsolate any cell from any species. This kit binds all biotinylated antibodies and is our most flexible secondary product for cell isolation or depletion.
Dynabeads Sheep anti-Rat IgGPBMC, tissue digests, bloodIsolate any cell type from any species excluding rat to use with your preferred primary IgG rat antibody. Excellent for positive isolation, negative isolation, or depletion of cells.
Secondary-coatedDynabeads Pan Mouse IgGPBMC, tissue digests, bloodA flexible secondary product for cell isolation or depletion. It will bind all subclasses of mouse IgG and is Fc specific. Requires less antibody and has shown no cross reactivity to human, rat, hamster, goat, rabbit, and guinea pig IgG.
CELLection Pan Mouse IgGPBMC, tissue digests, bloodUse with any mouse IgG to positively isolate cells from any species except mouse. Beads can be removed after isolation to leave pure and viable cells for use in any application.
Dynabeads Sheep anti-Mouse IgGPBMC, tissue digests, bloodIsolate any cell type from any species except mouse. For use with your primary mouse IgG1, IgG2a, or IgG2b antibody of choice. Excellent for positive isolation, negative isolation, or depletion of cells. Also available in clinical research grade as Dynabeads ClinExVivo Sheep anti-Mouse IgG.
Dynabeads Goat anti-Mouse IgGPBMC, tissue digests, bloodIsolate any cell type from any species except mouse. For use with your primary IgG mouse antibody of choice. Exceptional for positive isolation, negative isolation, or depletion of cells.
Dynabeads Rat anti-Mouse IgMPBMC, tissue digests, bloodIsolate any cell type from any species except mouse. For use with your primary mouse IgM antibody of choice. Exceptional for positive isolation, negative isolation, or depletion of cells.
Dynabeads Sheep anti-Rabbit IgGPBMC, tissue digests, bloodIsolate any cell type from any species except rabbit. For use with your primary rabbit antibody of choice. This product can be used for eukaryotic cells.
Surface-activatedDynabeads M-450 EpoxyPBMC, tissue digests, bloodHydrophobic naked beads with glycidyl ether (epoxy) reactive groups. Excellent for coupling of antibodies for cell applications. Coupling reactions can be performed at neutral pH, with 24-hour incubation at room temperature. Also available in clinical research grade as Dynabeads ClinExVivo Epoxy.
Dynabeads M-450 TosylactivatedPBMC, tissue digests, bloodHydrophobic naked beads with p-toluenesulphonyl (tosyl) reactive groups. For coupling of antibodies for cell applications. Coupling reactions can be performed at neutral pH although high pH and incubation at 37°C will promote covalent binding.


Dynabeads-related products

View Dynabeads-related products and accessories available for use with our magnetic beads.




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Publications using Dynabeads magnetic beads

Additional publications can be found in our Citations and References database. The database can be searched using a product catalog number or keyword. For example, searching with the term "10001D" will return a list of journal articles that cite the use of Dynabeads Protein A for Immunoprecipitation (Cat. No. 10001D) and searching with the term "dynabeads" will return a list of journal articles that cite the use of any Dynabeads product. Note that the Citations and References database on thermofisher.com contains only the small subset of scientific journal articles that cite the use of our products. Many more can be found via targeted searches of the PubMed™ database and similar databases.

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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.