Guide to Microplate Formats and Well Designs

Understand your options

Our microplates come in a variety of formats, colors, and well designs. The information below can help you understand which type of plate is best for your applications. 

Plates:

Solid plates in multiple well numbers for regular and high-throughput assays

• 96-well
• 384-well

Non-breakable strips:

Strips of wells that can be added to and removed from frames

• 8-well
• 12-well
• 16-well

Breakable strips:

Provide flexibility with sample size—break strips down to single wells

• 8-well
• 12-well
• 16-well

Flat bottom (F-well)—Allows maximum transmission of light. These plates can be read on a monochromatic reader.

Round bottom (U-well)—Optimizes washing and coating. These plates can be read using a dual-wavelength reader.

”C” bottom (C-well)—A combination of both flat and round bottoms. It is a flat bottomed well with curved edges at the bottom. These plates also can be read using a monochromatic reader, combining optimal reading and washing.

StarWell—These wells have a modified “C” shape geometry with eight fins strategically placed at the bottom. This feature increases surface area, allowing more molecules to become immobilized, which reduces incubation times.