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ExperimentThawCells

ExperimentThawCells[Samples]⟹Protocol

creates a Protocol to thaw the given Samples.

    
ExperimentThawCells will thaw cryogenically frozen cell samples.
    

Experimental Principles

    Figure 1.1: Procedural overview of thawing cells.

Instrumentation

    ThawSTAR

    Figure 2.1: The ThawSTAR instrument monitors the phase change of the frozen cryovial sample as it is heated. Thawing automatically stops when the sample is detected to be fully thawed.

    Cole-Parmer StableTemp Digital Utility Water Baths, 10 liters

    Figure 2.2: Containers are warmed by Lab Armor beads that are contained within the heat bath.

Experiment Options

    General

    Container

    The container of the sample that will be thawed.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically resolves to an Object[Container] if an Object[Sample] is specified. Otherwise, automatically resolves to the Model[Container] that the default product for the Model[Sample] comes in.
    Pattern Description: Container Model or Existing Container.
    Programmatic Pattern: ((ObjectP[Object[Container]] | _String) | ObjectP[Model[Container]]) | Automatic
    Index Matches to: experiment samples

    Preparation

    Indicates if this unit operation is carried out primarily robotically or manually. Manual unit operations are executed by a laboratory operator and robotic unit operations are executed by a liquid handling work cell.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Pattern Description: Manual or Robotic.
    Programmatic Pattern: PreparationMethodP | Automatic

    WorkCell

    The automated workstation with a collection of integrated instruments on which this unit operation will be will be performed if Preparation -> Robotic.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically set to STAR if Preparation->Robotic.
    Pattern Description: STAR, bioSTAR, or microbioSTAR or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: ((STAR | bioSTAR | microbioSTAR) | Automatic) | Null

    Thawing

    Instrument

    The instrument used to gently heat the frozen cell sample until it is thawed.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically set to Model[Instrument, CellThaw, "ThawSTAR"], if the samples are in a cryogenic vial. Otherwise, set to Model[Instrument, HeatBlock, "Cole-Parmer StableTemp Digital Utility Water Baths, 10 liters"].
    Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Model[Instrument, CellThaw], Object[Instrument, CellThaw], Model[Instrument, HeatBlock], Object[Instrument, HeatBlock], Model[Instrument, Shaker], or Object[Instrument, Shaker] or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: (ObjectP[{Model[Instrument, CellThaw], Object[Instrument, CellThaw], Model[Instrument, HeatBlock], Object[Instrument, HeatBlock], Model[Instrument, Shaker], Object[Instrument, Shaker]}] | Automatic) | Null
    Index Matches to: experiment samples

    Time

    The minimum duration of time that the frozen samples are placed in the instrument until the sample is fully thawed.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically set to 30 Second if using a heat block, otherwise, set to Null (the ThawSTAR automatically measures the phase change of the sample and stops when the sample is fully thawed).
    Pattern Description: Greater than or equal to 0 minutes and less than or equal to 72 hours or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: (RangeP[0*Minute, $MaxExperimentTime] | Automatic) | Null
    Index Matches to: experiment samples

    MaxTime

    The maximum duration of time that the frozen samples are placed in the instrument until the sample is fully thawed.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically set to 1 Minute if using a heat block, otherwise, set to Null (the ThawSTAR automatically measures the phase change of the sample and stops when the sample is fully thawed).
    Pattern Description: Greater than or equal to 0 minutes and less than or equal to 72 hours or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: (RangeP[0*Minute, $MaxExperimentTime] | Automatic) | Null
    Index Matches to: experiment samples

    Temperature

    The temperature that the frozen cells are thawed at. This option can only be set when using a heat block (when using the automatic cell thawing instrument, the temperature is automatically adjusted based on phase change of the sample).
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically set to 37 Celsius, if using a heat block. Otherwise, set to Null.
    Pattern Description: Ambient or Temperature or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: ((RangeP[25*Celsius, 100*Celsius] | Ambient) | Automatic) | Null
    Index Matches to: experiment samples

    Protocol

    Method

    The default method parameters to use when thawing these cells.
    Default Value: Automatic
    Default Calculation: Automatically set to the ThawCellsMethod of the Model[Cell]s in the Composition of the sample to be thawed, if populated. Otherwise, set to Null.
    Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Object[Method, ThawCells] or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: (ObjectP[Object[Method, ThawCells]] | Automatic) | Null
    Index Matches to: experiment samples

Protocol Options

    Organizational Information

    Template

    A template protocol whose methodology should be reproduced in running this experiment. Option values will be inherited from the template protocol, but can be individually overridden by directly specifying values for those options to this Experiment function.
    Default Value: Null
    Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Object[Protocol] or an object of type or subtype of Object[Protocol] with UnresolvedOptions, ResolvedOptions specified or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: (ObjectP[Object[Protocol]] | FieldReferenceP[Object[Protocol], {UnresolvedOptions, ResolvedOptions}]) | Null

    Name

    A object name which should be used to refer to the output object in lieu of an automatically generated ID number.
    Default Value: Null
    Pattern Description: A string or Null.
    Programmatic Pattern: _String | Null

Example Calls

    Thawing Frozen Cell Lines

    Thaw a vial of HeLa cells:
    Thaw a single vial of HEK293:
    Specify the thawing instrument and temperature that should be used to thaw the cells:
    Specify the thawing instrument and time that should be used to thaw the cells:

Warnings and Errors

    Messages  (6)

    ObjectDoesNotExist  (6)

    Do NOT throw a message if we have a simulated container but a simulation is specified that indicates that it is simulated:

    Do NOT throw a message if we have a simulated sample but a simulation is specified that indicates that it is simulated:

    Throw a message if we have a container that does not exist (ID form):

    Throw a message if we have a container that does not exist (name form):

    Throw a message if we have a sample that does not exist (ID form):

    Throw a message if we have a sample that does not exist (name form):

Possible Issues

    Robotic Cryovial Rack Grouping

    In order to thaw cryovials on a robotic work cell, frozen cryovials will first be placed into a thermally conductive rack (either Model[Container, Rack, "Small Cryogenic Vial Heater Shaker Rack"] or Model[Container, Rack, "Large Cryogenic Vial Heater Shaker Rack"], depending on the size of the cryovial). If there are multiple cryovials being thawed during the protocol, they will be grouped in racks according to the thawing time specified in the Time option. If too many groups of thawing times are specified, this will result in too many liquid handling rack groupings than can fit into a work cell.
Last modified on Wed 8 Oct 2025 09:44:57

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