PIPES
Encyclopedia
PIPES is the common name for piperazine-N,N′-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid), and frequently used buffering agent
in biochemistry
. It is an ethanesulfonic acid buffer developed by Good et al. in the 1960s.
(6.76 at 25°C) near the physiological pH
which makes it useful in cell culture
work. PIPES has been documented minimizing lipid
loss when buffering glutaraldehyde histology
in plant and animal tissues. Fungal zoospore fixation for fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy were optimized with a combination of glutaraldehyde
and formaldehyde
in PIPES buffer. It has a negligible capacity to bind divalent
ions.
Buffering agent
A buffering agent is a weak acid or base used to maintain the acidity of a solution at a chosen value. The function of a buffering agent is to prevent a rapid change in pH when acids or bases are added to the solution. Buffering agents have variable properties—some are more soluble than others;...
in biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
. It is an ethanesulfonic acid buffer developed by Good et al. in the 1960s.
Applications
PIPES has pKaPKA
PKA, pKa, or other similar variations may stand for:* pKa, the symbol for the acid dissociation constant at logarithmic scale* Protein kinase A, a class of cAMP-dependent enzymes* Pi Kappa Alpha, the North-American social fraternity...
(6.76 at 25°C) near the physiological pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
which makes it useful in cell culture
Cell culture
Cell culture is the complex process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions. In practice, the term "cell culture" has come to refer to the culturing of cells derived from singlecellular eukaryotes, especially animal cells. However, there are also cultures of plants, fungi and microbes,...
work. PIPES has been documented minimizing lipid
Lipid
Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins , monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others...
loss when buffering glutaraldehyde histology
Fixation (histology)
In the fields of histology, pathology, and cell biology, fixation is a chemical process by which biological tissues are preserved from decay, thereby preventing autolysis or putrefaction...
in plant and animal tissues. Fungal zoospore fixation for fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy were optimized with a combination of glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde is an organic compound with the formula CH22. A pungent colorless oily liquid, glutaraldehyde is used to disinfect medical and dental equipment...
and formaldehyde
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula CH2O. It is the simplest aldehyde, hence its systematic name methanal.Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor. It is an important precursor to many other chemical compounds, especially for polymers...
in PIPES buffer. It has a negligible capacity to bind divalent
Divalent
In chemistry, a divalent ion or molecule has a valence of two and thus can form two bonds with other ions or molecules. An older term for divalent is bivalent....
ions.
See also
- MOPSMOPSMOPS is the common name for the compound 3-propanesulfonic acid, a buffer introduced by Good et al. in the 1960s. It is a structural analog to MES. Its chemical structure contains a morpholine ring. HEPES is a similar pH buffering compound that contains a piperazine ring...
- HEPESHEPESHEPES is a zwitterionic organic chemical buffering agent; one of the twelve Good's buffers...
- MESMES (buffer)MES is the common name for the compound 2-ethanesulfonic acid. Its chemical structure contains a morpholine ring. It has a molecular weight of 195.2 and the chemical formula is C6H13NO4S...
- TrisTrisTris is an abbreviation of the organic compound known as trisaminomethane, with the formula 3CNH2. Tris is extensively used in biochemistry and molecular biology. In biochemistry, tris is widely used as a component of buffer solutions, such as in TAE and TBE buffer, especially for solutions of...
- Common buffer compounds used in biology
- Good's buffersGood's buffersGood's buffers are twelve buffering agents selected and described by Norman Good and colleagues in 1966. Good selected the buffers based on a number of criteria which make them candidates for use in biochemistry and biological research...