method of thawing microsomes - (Apr/07/2009 )

hi

what is the right method of thawing microsomes? i made microsomes by my own. my supervisor ask me to put in ice to let my micromes thaw slowly after taken out from -80 freezer. recently i bought comercial available rat liver microsomes from sigma. the method of thawing is by incubate briefly in 37 degree waterbath and put in ice immediately after thaw. i found that the latter method is much more convenient and faster. can i used that method? i have ask a person and she said that the enzymes will be decreased in activity if i do such way. any idea?

thank you

it doesn't matter. do what your supervisor told you to do.

however, your coworker has a point, if you leave it at 37C for too long then it may have a deleterious effect on the microsomes.

it is safer to thaw on ice.