How to store peptide vials in the lab

Dry vials

A sealed, freeze-dried vial is the most stable form of a peptide. Keep it cool, dry and out of direct light. Many laboratories keep dry vials in a refrigerator for short periods and in a freezer for longer ones. Your supplier's guidance and your own protocol decide which applies.

After reconstitution

Once a peptide is dissolved it is much less stable than the powder. Keep the vial cold, normally in a refrigerator, and use it within the time your protocol allows. If you plan to keep a solution for longer, laboratories often divide it into small portions so that each one is thawed only once.

Avoid these

• Repeated freezing and thawing. Each cycle can damage the peptide.
• Direct sunlight or a bright bench lamp. Keep vials in a box or a drawer.
• A refrigerator door or a freezer door shelf, where the temperature swings every time it is opened. The back of a shelf is steadier.
• Opening a cold dry vial straight away. Let it reach room temperature first so condensation does not form on the powder.
• Carrying vials around in a warm bag or leaving them on a sunny windowsill, even for a short time.
• Storing vials loose. A small labelled box keeps them upright, dry and easy to find.

Keep a record

Write the date of reconstitution, the diluent and the concentration on the label, and note where the vial is kept. A clear record is the easiest way to tell, weeks later, whether a vial is still inside the window your protocol allows.

Shipping and arrival

Dry peptide tolerates the journey well, but it is good practice to move vials to proper storage as soon as a parcel arrives instead of leaving them at room temperature on a bench. Our shipping page explains how long parcels usually take.

Research use only

Pep Pantry products are sold for laboratory research by adults. They are not for human or veterinary use. This article describes laboratory handling only.