Cell Culture Hood Description
Cell culture hoods, or laminar flow hoods, are able to provide an aseptic workspace. At the same time, they can help keep aerosols and infectious splashes in check. Three different classes of hoods exist – Class I, Class II, and Class III. Each of these classes serves a different purpose to meet different needs in the clinic and in research facilities.
Features of cell culture hoods
The Class 1 hoods are able to provide a substantial amount of protection to people in the lab, as well as the environment around it. One of the important things to note about this class of hoods is that they do not provide protection from contamination to the cultures. They work similarly to chemical fume hoods.
The Class II hoods utilize BSL-1,2, and 3 materials. In addition, they are capable of providing an aseptic environment for experiments using cell cultures. These are mostly used when you need to handle materials that are hazardous or that have the potential to be hazardous. Some examples include cultures derived from primates, cultures that have been virally infected, and toxic reagents.
Class III hoods are gas tight, and they offer the greatest amount of protection to the environment as well as those who are working in the area. These are typically used when working with BSL-4 materials and human pathogens.
The hoods have a wide workspace, a pipettor at the front, and can provide easy access to reagents and more. they generally contain tube racks, as well as an area for holding liquid waste.
When you are choosing a hood, you need to consider the type of work you will be doing and which of the classes will work the best for your needs. Always choose a hood that is capable of providing you with the type and amount of protection that you and your work needs.
How cell culture hoods work
The hoods are able to keep the workspace clear of contaminants thanks unidirectional airflow. This airflow can be either horizontal or vertical, so you will need to consider the type of work you will be doing and then choose the hood that will be most suitable. Keep in mind that clean benches, while similar, are different from cell culture hoods, so know what you are buying or renting. Clean benches do not work as biosafety cabinets.
