What lyophilized means

Lyophilized means freeze-dried. Most research peptides are supplied as a lyophilized solid in a sealed glass vial, and the word appears on labels and certificates throughout the field.

How freeze-drying works

The peptide starts as a solution. It is frozen, and the pressure around it is then lowered far enough that the ice turns directly into vapour without melting first. This step is called sublimation. A second, gentler drying stage removes most of the water that remains bound to the solid.

What is left is the dry material that was dissolved in the solution, in the vial it was dried in.

Why peptides are supplied this way

Many of the chemical changes that break a peptide down need water. Removing the water slows them, which is why a peptide is generally more stable as a dry solid than in solution. Drying at low temperature also avoids exposing the material to heat.

Why a vial can look almost empty

A few milligrams of dry peptide is a very small amount of material. Depending on the compound and on how it was dried, it can appear as a solid white cake, a loose powder, or a thin film on the glass that is hard to see.

Appearance is not a measure of quantity. Two vials holding the same weight can look quite different. The amount is the figure stated on the label.

Strength and vial size are different things

The strength on a label, such as a number of milligrams, is the amount of compound in the vial. It is not the capacity of the glass vial, and the same amount may be supplied in vials of different sizes.

Research use only

Luminex Research products are sold for laboratory research use only and are not for human consumption.