What is the history of pipette tips?

The first pipette-like instrument commonly used in laboratories was the Pasteur pipette, named after the renowned French microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who popularized its use in the late 19th century. These early pipettes were handheld glass tubes, used primarily to transfer small volumes of liquid by suction, often with a rubber bulb. In the 1950s, German physician Heinrich Schnaiter created a prototype of a micropipette, which was a spring-loaded piston with a removable plastic tip.

In 1961, Eppendorf launched the first commercially produced piston-stroke pipette, in addition to the Eppendorf Tube, with compatible tips.

In addition, in the 1970s, Warren Gilson and Professor Henry Lardy invented an adjustable micropipette that could change the air pressure according to the requirements of the experiment. This enabled scientists to precisely separate and transfer small liquid volumes.

Fast forward to today, pipettes come with highly advanced features, such as Bluetooth connectivity and automated/robotic pipette systems. Such systems come with special pipette tips, which are only compatible with advanced and high-end pipettes.