Figure 4.

Excision of gel segments for imaging

(A). Diagram of the custom 3D printed gel cutter and pusher. Press the gel cutter firmly down on the gel until it touches the bottom of the plate, and then use a scalpel to slice from the cutter to the edge of the gel so that it can be moved carefully to a clear section of the dish for removal (B). If the segment remains in the cutter when it is lifted from the dish, the pusher can be used to eject it. Using a bent metal spatula to handle the gel segment (C), transfer it carefully to an ibidi μ-Slide 8 Well Chambered Coverslip (D). If a gel cutter is not available, another option is to use the top of a P1000 pipette tip as a gel punch (E), transferring the round segment to the ibidi chambered coverslip (F and G). Although not as snug a fit as the segments excised using the custom cutter (which match the internal dimensions of the well), movement of the gel segment during imaging can be minimized by removing any excess liquid from the well (H and I).