Many chemical reactions and analyses were original performed in test tubes. When running a series or multiple chemical analyses, the number of test tubes can become burdensome as well as requiring a significant amount of sample. Microplates with an array of wells where developed to perform multiple reactions and analyses in a single container.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) thermal cycling is most frequently performed in conical plastic wells arrayed in the form of microplates. PCR microplates are typically colorless or lightly tinted with color and because the PCR solution is also colorless it is typically quite difficult to identify which wells are full and which are empty. When plates are being manually loaded with reaction mix, it is very easy for the user to inadvertently load two samples into one well causing defective reactions or load a sample into an incorrect location potentially causing erroneous experimental conclusions to be drawn. This issue is especially apparent as smaller plates are employed. The smaller plates allow for reactions to be carried out in small volumes, but the smaller dimensions increase the difficulty of visualizing the filling of the wells.
There is a need in the art for a device and system to easily distinguish empty and full wells in order to dramatically reduce manual filling errors of a microplate.