The pipette itself is an apparatus comprising following members (see Fig. 2).
: pipette tip configured to be able to access and aspirate/discharge liquid from/into each of vessels, having
::a front end portion,
::a reservoir portion,
::a liquid passage
:::connecting the front end portion and the reservoir portion,
::a separation region
:::in the liquid passage subjected to an action of a magnetic field, and
::a mechanism
:::for applying a negative or positive pressure to the interior of the pipette portion to draw or discharge a magnetic substance suspended liquid into or from the pipette portion
:magnetic field Source
::arranged on the outside of and adjacent to pipette tip; and
:magnetic field source driving device
::for driving the magnetic field source to apply or remove a magnetic field to or from the separation region from outside the liquid passage. When the magnet is brought close to the pipette tip, a magnetic field is applied; when retracted away from the pipette tip, that magnetic field is removed.
A nucleic acid extraction apparatus incorporating Tajima pipettes typically consists of:
:Above mentioned Tajima pipette,
:Plurality of tubes.
: Plurality of tube holder for above mentioned tubes,
:Transport mean
::to transport Tajima pipette among that plurality of tubes (tubes are supported by tube holder), and
:Control device
::for controlling abovementioned devices.