D/f b/w mechanical and enzymatic cell disruption
Answers
There exists a small cohort of laboratory techniques that are used regularly by life science researchers and scientists. Among these is cell disruption (also known as cell lysis or rupture), which provides access to versatile intracellular components. Because there are so many ways to disrupt a cell, it is important to understand the broad categorizations, either mechanical or non-mechanical, before narrowing down the mixing method you are interested in using. Below is a descriptive comparison of the two, which can point potential users in the right product direction.
Reference to mechanical cell disruption indicates that the machine uses force to generate a lysate. While some methods, like beadbeating and blending, employ a single force, many others, like grinding and homogenization, incorporate multiple forces, which is advantageous in achieving a higher lysate yield. This mechanical mixing style is advantageous for a number of reasons. Firstly, the use of force instead of detergents and other chemical treatments allows many intracellular proteins to remain intact where they may have otherwise been destroyed. Additionally, mechanical methods are oftentimes better able to process large sample sizes, in terms of both sheer capacity and financial burden.