Thermo Scientific Pierce Power Station with Power Stain Cassette

Thermo Scientific Pierce Power Station with Power Stain Cassette (22838) – Rapid Protein Staining System

The Thermo Scientific Pierce Power Station (Catalog No. 22838) configured with the Power Stain Cassette is a high-efficiency, microprocessor-controlled electrophoresis control unit engineered to accelerate downstream protein analysis. By replacing traditional, overnight Coomassie staining methods, this system utilizes active electrophoretic transport to drive stain into polyacrylamide gels and clear the background matrix in a fraction of the time. This combination serves as a dedicated "Power Stainer" platform that optimizes workflow speeds for molecular biology, biochemistry, and proteomics laboratories.

Technical Performance & Design

• Automated Cassette Detection: The integrated software system automatically recognizes when the Power Stain Cassette is inserted, instantly locking out alternative menus and initializing the correct automated staining/destaining protocols.
• Electrophoretic Acceleration: Rather than relying on passive diffusion, the system fixes proteins to the gel while electrophoretically transporting negatively charged Coomassie R250 dye rapidly through the polyacrylamide matrix, delivering crisp blue bands with minimal background noise.
• Rapid Cycle Execution: When utilized in tandem with specialized Midi or Mini Gel Power Staining Kits, the unit completes full staining and destaining protocols in as few as 6 minutes with sensitivity matching or exceeding traditional methods.
• Dual-Function Expandability: While this setup features the specialized stain cassette, the core 22838 Power Station housing is fully programmed to accept a Power Blot Cassette (sold separately) to run high-speed semi-dry Western blot transfers.

Product Specifications

• Model / Part Number: 22838 (Core Power Station Unit)
• System Configuration: Complete Power Stainer Setup (Station + Power Stain Cassette)
• Gel Capacity: Accommodates standard mini-sized (7 x 8.4 cm) or midi-sized (8 x 13.5 cm) pre-cast and homemade SDS-PAGE gels
• Input Power: 100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz (Universal voltage auto-switching)
• Maximum Power Rating: 168 Watts
• Data Connectivity: Rear-mounted USB port for system firmware updates and protocol management

Key Benefits & Applications

• High-Throughput Gel Validation: Eliminates the historical 1-hour to overnight bottleneck of Coomassie processing, allowing researchers to verify fractionation or expression success nearly immediately post-electrophoresis.
• Sharper Band Resolution: Active ion movement prevents the lateral protein diffusion commonly seen during prolonged passive staining baths, locking in tight, high-contrast sample lanes.
• Optimized Applique Surface Area: The inner anode and cathode surfaces of the Stain Cassette are specifically dimensioned to maintain uniform current density across the gel area, preventing uneven edge destaining.
• Safe, Low-Maintenance Chemistry: The closed-cassette architecture reduces benchtop exposure to volatile alcohol or acetic acid fumes, and the independent components easily rinse clean under standard deionized water.

Used, tested to be in great working condition.

Thermo Scientific™ and Pierce™ are registered trademarks of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. To achieve the stated 6-minute processing speed, the system must be operated using compatible Pierce Power Staining Kits and matching filter pads.