Thermo Fisher Biochemical Reagents for Buffers, Stains & Core Lab Work

Thermo Fisher Biochemical Reagents cover the everyday essentials you use to make science run smoothly—buffers and salts, protein gel stains and detergents, plus classic microbiology dyes and Gram staining solutions. On this page, you can scan core applications, compare selection criteria, and jump straight to representative SKUs ready for quoting.

What Are Thermo Fisher Biochemical Reagents?

These reagents underpin routine wet-lab work: preparing PBS or Tris/HEPES buffers, running SDS-PAGE, staining gels, and differentiating bacteria by Gram reaction. You get consistent, lab-grade specifications and clear documentation so you can standardize methods and keep results comparable across runs.

In practice, the family spans Fisher BioReagents™ buffers (e.g., PBS tablets, Tris base, HEPES powder or 1 M solutions), electrophoresis detergents such as SDS, and nonionic surfactants like Tween 20 or Triton™ X-100, alongside Remel™ Gram stains and complete Gram stain kits.

Applications & Use Cases: Buffers, Stains, Detergents

Use this section to align reagent families to everyday tasks. Start with the workflow outcome you need—stable pH, clean protein bands, or crisp Gram differentiation—then confirm format and pack size in the featured SKUs.

• Buffer & Salt Prep: Make PBS quickly with tablets (fixed ionic balance, pH 7.4 at 25 °C), or build Tris/TBS and HEPES systems for pH control in molecular biology protocols. Choose ready-to-use 1 M HEPES when speed and reproducibility matter.
  

• Protein Workflows: Run SDS-PAGE with electrophoresis-grade SDS, then visualize proteins using Coomassie Brilliant Blue (R-250 or G-250) depending on sensitivity and background tolerance.
  
• Membrane Solubilization & Washes: Use nonionic detergents to gently permeabilize or reduce nonspecific binding—Tween 20 for wash buffers; Triton™ X-100 for membrane solubilization and lysis.
  
• Microbiology Staining & ID: Perform robust Gram differentiation with a four-reagent kit, or source individual components such as crystal violet, decolorizer, and safranin for method control.

How to Choose the Right Reagent (Grade, Form, Pack Size)

Selection usually hinges on grade, physical form, and documentation. The quick matrix below reduces guesswork and helps you match specs to your protocol, storage, and throughput requirements without overbuying or compromising results.

Criterion	Practical guidance
Grade / Assay	For electrophoresis, choose electrophoresis-grade SDS; for buffers, use molecular-biology-grade Tris/HEPES with low absorbance at 260/280 nm.
Form	Save time with PBS tablets or 1 M HEPES; choose powders (Tris/HEPES) when you need flexible concentrations or large-batch economy.
Compatibility	Use nonionic detergents (Tween 20, Triton™ X-100) for gentle washes or membrane work; confirm downstream assay tolerance.
Pack size	Pick 100 mL–1 L liquids for bench convenience; select 500 g–5 kg powders for core facilities or validated bulk methods.
Documentation	Ensure SDS/COA access and RUO labeling where applicable to streamline receiving and audits.
Storage/Shipping	Most items ship and store ambient; always confirm any special handling noted on the product page.

Featured Thermo Scientific™ Reagents: PBS, HEPES, Tris, Gram Stain, Coomassie, SDS

The list below highlights representative SKUs across core subfamilies. Use it to confirm names, formats, and typical uses, then request a quote with the catalog numbers you need.

Catalog No.	Product name (official)	Form/Grade	Pack size	CAS (if applicable)	Common use
BP2944-100	PBS Tablets, Phosphate Buffered Saline, Fisher BioReagents™	Tablets	100 tablets	—	Quick prep of PBS; pH 7.4 at 25 °C with defined ionic strength.
BP299-100	HEPES Buffer, 1 M Solution, pH 7.3 (Molecular Biology), Fisher BioReagents™	Solution	100 mL	7365-45-9	Ready-to-use biological buffer.
BP310-500	HEPES (Fine White Crystals/Molecular Biology), Fisher BioReagents™	Powder	500 g	7365-45-9	Prepare custom HEPES buffers.
BP152-5	Tris Base (White Crystals or Crystalline Powder/Molecular Biology), Fisher BioReagents™	Powder	5 kg	77-86-1	Tris/TBS buffer systems for MB workflows.
BP166-500	Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS), White Powder, Electrophoresis, Fisher BioReagents™	Powder	500 g	151-21-3	SDS-PAGE and protein extraction.
BP337-500	Polysorbate 20, Fisher BioReagents™	Liquid	500 mL	9005-64-5	Wash buffers/blocking; gentle surfactant.
BP151-500	Triton™ X-100 (Electrophoresis), Fisher BioReagents™	Liquid	500 mL	9002-93-1	Membrane solubilization/lysis buffers.
BP10125	Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250, Fisher BioReagents™	Powder	25 g	—	Protein gel staining (R-250).
20278	Pierce™ Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250 Dye	Dye	Each	—	Protein staining dye (R-250).
20279	Pierce™ Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 Dye	Dye	Each	—	Protein staining dye (G-250).
R40080	Gram Stain Kit	Kit (4 reagents)	1 kit	—	Complete Gram differentiation workflow.
R40240	Remel™ Enhanced Gram Stain Kit	Kit	1 kit	—	Balanced system; reduced over-decolorization.
R40052	Remel™ Gram Crystal Violet	Liquid	Each	—	Primary Gram stain.
R40054	Remel™ Gram Decolorizer	Liquid	Each	—	Alcohol/acetone decolorizer.
R40058	Remel™ Gram Safranin	Liquid	Each	—	Counterstain for Gram-negative cells.

Mini-Workflows: Buffer Prep, Gram Stain, Gel Staining

Sometimes you just need a practical set to move a method forward. The following pairings group commonly ordered items so you can request them together and keep benches stocked without over-complicating procurement.

• Buffer-Prep Starter: BP2944-100 (PBS tablets) + BP152-5 (Tris base) + BP337-500 (Tween 20 for washes).
  
• Gram Stain Essentials: R40080 (complete kit) or individual bottles—R40052 (crystal violet), R40054 (decolorizer), R40058 (safranin)—for tighter control over steps.
  
• SDS-PAGE & Stain: BP166-500 (SDS) + BP152-5 (Tris base for running/transfer buffers) + 20278 (Coomassie R-250) to visualize post-run proteins.

Storage, Safety & Compliance (SDS/COA, RUO, Shipping)

Before checkout, confirm storage class and documents for each item. Many of these reagents are labeled for research use only (RUO), ship/store at ambient temperature, and include SDS/COA download links on their product pages—useful for receiving and audits.

FAQ: Buffers, Stains, Detergents & Documentation

These quick answers help you close internal loops. If you need a spec sheet consolidated for purchasing, add that note in your quote request.

Q1. What’s the difference between PBS tablets and making PBS from scratch?
Tablets fix the ionic balance and pH (e.g., 0.01 M phosphate, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), saving weighing time and reducing variability between batches.

Q2. When should you choose 1 M HEPES solution versus HEPES powder?
Use the 1 M solution for speed and standardization; choose powder to set exact concentrations, pH, and volumes for unusual or scaled-up protocols.

Q3. Which Coomassie dye do you pick—R-250 or G-250?
R-250 gives classic, strong blue bands with robust contrast; G-250 formulations often emphasize sensitivity and lower background. Your gel chemistry and detection requirements usually decide.

Q4. What nonionic detergent fits gentle washes or membrane work?
Tween 20 is widely used for immuno-wash buffers; Triton™ X-100 supports membrane solubilization and sample lysis in many workflows.

Q5. Can you source individual Gram stain reagents instead of a kit?
Yes—Thermo Fisher supplies crystal violet, decolorizer, and safranin as individual Remel™ bottles as well as complete kits.

Request a Quote - Contact iRight

Send us the catalog numbers and pack sizes you need and we’ll reply with pricing and lead time. If you’re building a method from scratch, share your workflow (buffer system, stain, and detergent steps) and we’ll propose a short, validated pick-list to streamline ordering.