Knowledge base

Research guides

Practical handling notes for qualified researchers working with lyophilised peptides. Pair these with the peptide calculator when planning a protocol.

Reconstituting a lyophilised vial

Bring the vial to room temperature, swab the stopper, and run bacteriostatic water slowly down the inner glass wall. Swirl — never shake — until the solution is completely clear with no visible particulate.

Use bacteriostatic water for multi-draw vials; sterile water is single-use only.
2 mL of diluent in a 10 mg vial gives 5 mg/mL — 250 mcg is 5 units on a 100-unit syringe.
Label the vial with the date of reconstitution and the resulting concentration.

Cold chain and storage

Lyophilised powder is stable at 2–8°C for months and at −20°C for long-term archives. Once in solution, peptides degrade far faster and should be treated as short-lived material.

Lyophilised: 2–8°C short term, −20°C long term, protected from light.
Reconstituted: refrigerate at 2–8°C and use within roughly 28 days.
Avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles; aliquot instead where the protocol allows.

Choosing a syringe

Match the syringe to the volume you actually draw. Small volumes measured on a large barrel introduce the biggest percentage error in a study.

Draws under 0.3 mL: use a 30-unit barrel for readable graduations.
0.3–0.5 mL: 50-unit barrel.
Above 0.5 mL: 100-unit barrel, or split the draw.

Reading a certificate of analysis

A COA should identify the lot, the analytical method and the acceptance criteria. If any of those three are missing, the document is marketing rather than evidence.

HPLC chromatogram with a purity percentage against the main peak.
Mass spectrometry confirming the expected molecular weight.
Lot number and test date that match the label on your vial.

Safe handling in the lab

Treat every compound as an unknown biological hazard. Gloves, eye protection and a documented disposal route are the minimum for any peptide work.

Work on a disinfected surface; discard sharps into an approved container.
Never re-enter a vial with a used needle.
Keep a written log of lot numbers against experimental runs.

For research use only. These guides describe laboratory handling practice. ABA Labs products are not medicines and are not for human or veterinary use.