Cytiva ÄKTA pure 25 M Chromatography System

You rely on your chromatography system to deliver clean protein, not surprises. Cytiva’s ÄKTA pure 25 M gives you a compact, fully automated FPLC platform that fits on a bench but still supports serious small- to mid-scale purification work. With flexible flow paths, accurate gradient control, and UNICORN™ software, you can move from method scouting to routine runs with confidence.

On this page, you’ll see where the ÄKTA pure 25 M sits in the wider ÄKTA pure family, which key specifications matter in daily use, and how different configuration SKUs map to your applications. You can use it as a quick selection guide when you plan a new lab or upgrade an existing system.

What Is Cytiva ÄKTA pure 25 M?

When you choose the ÄKTA pure 25 M, you are getting a low- to medium-pressure chromatography system designed for automated protein purification in the 0.001–25 mL/min flow range. It is built around a metering piston pump and modular valve concept, so you can start with a core setup and expand as your methods and sample complexity grow.

The system supports isocratic and gradient runs, multiple inlet and outlet valves, and real-time UV, conductivity, and optional pH monitoring. Combined with UNICORN control and data handling, this makes the ÄKTA pure 25 M a practical choice for research labs working on recombinant proteins, antibodies, and method development.

Key Specifications at a Glance

Before you evaluate columns or workflows, it helps to have a clear view of the core hardware capabilities. The table below summarizes the most relevant system specifications for planning typical protein purification methods on ÄKTA pure 25 M.

Feature	ÄKTA pure 25 M Specification
Flow rate range	0.001–25 mL/min (up to 50 mL/min during column packing)
Pressure range (system pump)	0–20 MPa (2900 psi)
Pump type	Piston pump, metering type
Gradient range	5–95% B, 0.6–25 mL/min (with standard mixer)
Viscosity range	0.35–10 cP (5 cP above 12.5 mL/min)
UV wavelength range	190–700 nm, up to 3 wavelengths (depending on UV monitor configuration)
UV flow cell (standard)	Optical path length 2 mm, cell volume ~2 μL
Conductivity range	0.01–999.9 mS/cm
pH range (monitor)	0–14, accuracy ±0.1 pH units within pH 2–12
Typical system dimensions	~535 × 630 × 470 mm (W × H × D)
Typical system weight	Up to 53 kg (excluding computer and external modules)
Power and enclosure	100–240 V, 50–60 Hz, ~300 VA (typical), IP 21 enclosure class

These specifications give you enough headroom for most analytical to preparative runs on standard prepacked columns. In practice, the combination of 0–20 MPa pressure capability and accurate low-flow control is what allows you to use both high-resolution media and more robust process-like media on the same platform.

Positioning Within the ÄKTA pure Family

If you are planning a new chromatography setup, you will likely compare the 25 M to other ÄKTA pure models. The 25 M is designed as a flexible, mid-range option: it offers the same 25 mL/min system flow capacity as the 25 L but adds more advanced UV monitoring and configuration options. Above it, the ÄKTA pure 150 models target higher flow and larger columns.

The simplified comparison below shows how ÄKTA pure 25 models relate to each other and to the 150 series in everyday decision-making:

Model	Max flow rate (system pump)	Pressure range	Typical use case
ÄKTA pure 25 L	0.001–25 mL/min	0–20 MPa	Standard protein purification and routine methods
ÄKTA pure 25 M	0.001–25 mL/min	0–20 MPa	Flexible, multi-wavelength UV; method development
ÄKTA pure 150 L	0.01–150 mL/min	0–5 MPa	Larger columns, higher throughput, process development
ÄKTA pure 150 M	0.01–150 mL/min	0–5 MPa	High-flow system with advanced monitoring options

You typically choose ÄKTA pure 25 M if you run multiple method types on small- to mid-sized columns and need flexible detection, while still keeping footprint and complexity under control. If you are scaling toward pilot-scale columns, a 150-series system will be a better fit.

Compatible Columns, Kits and Accessories

The strength of the ÄKTA pure platform is how easily you can match it with a wide range of chromatography media and hardware. With the 25 M, you can combine affinity, ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and gel filtration columns in the same workflow, using media such as MabSelect™, Capto™, and Superdex™ in appropriate column formats.

In a typical lab setup, you might use the system with:

• Affinity and capture columns – for example, His-tag or Protein A columns for initial capture of recombinant proteins and antibodies.
• Ion-exchange columns – such as strong or weak anion or cation exchangers for intermediate purification or polishing.
• Size-exclusion columns – to remove aggregates, change buffer, or fine-tune purity for structural or biophysical studies.

To support these applications, you can add inlet valves, outlet valves, sample loops, fraction collectors (F9-R or F9-C), micro-volume tubing kits, and UV flow cells of different path lengths. With low-delay-volume tubing, the ÄKTA pure 25 M can also be adapted for smaller sample volumes and micro-preparative workflows.

Automation, Modularity and UNICORN Software

Automation is often the reason you upgrade from manual chromatography to an ÄKTA system. On the ÄKTA pure 25 M, automation is built into the hardware and UNICORN software so that you can move from single manual runs to reproducible, multi-step methods without rewriting everything from scratch.

UNICORN lets you:

• Design gradient and step elution methods with graphical tools.
• Control pumps, valves, fraction collectors and in-line monitors from a single interface.
• Set up automatic column equilibration, sample loading, washing, elution and cleaning-in-place.
• Store methods and results so that different users in your lab can run the same protocol with consistent outcomes.

Because the system is modular, you can start from a core 25 M configuration and then add valves, micro-kits, or additional detectors as your methods evolve. This modularity helps you protect your investment: you don’t have to replace the whole system when an application requires more inlets, extra outlets or a different fraction collector.

Typical Application Workflows

Once the system is installed, you will mainly interact with it through application workflows. ÄKTA pure 25 M is well suited to small- to mid-scale protein and antibody purification, as well as to teaching and method development in academic or industrial labs.

Common scenarios include:

Recombinant protein purification
You might express a His-tagged protein, capture it on a Ni-affinity column, then transfer to an ion-exchange and finally polish on a size-exclusion column. The 25 M controls gradients, monitors UV and conductivity, and triggers fraction collection based on signal peaks.

Antibody and antibody fragment workflows
For monoclonal antibodies, you can start with Protein A capture, followed by cation-exchange and gel filtration. The system’s pressure range and flow flexibility allow you to use both classical and modern high-capacity resins within their recommended operating windows.

Method development and teaching labs
Because you can quickly change between column types and buffer systems, the ÄKTA pure 25 M is a good platform for teaching chromatography principles or developing new purification methods before they are transferred to larger-scale systems.

In each case, the combination of precise pumping, multi-wavelength UV detection, and optional pH monitoring helps you track your protein through the workflow and standardize how different users run the same protocol.

Recommended ÄKTA pure 25 M System SKUs

When you actually place an order, you will choose between several closely related ÄKTA pure 25 M configurations. The table below lists the core Cytiva system SKUs for the 25-series “M” models, using the official code numbers from Cytiva ordering information.

System configuration	Cytiva code number
ÄKTA pure 25 M	29-0182-26
ÄKTA pure 25 M1 (V9-IAB inlet, V9-Os outlet)	29-0182-27
ÄKTA pure 25 M2 (V9-IA, V9-IB, V9-C, V9-O)	29-0182-28

These configurations differ mainly in how many inlet and outlet positions you get as standard, and whether a column selection valve (V9-C) is included. If you intend to run several columns in sequence, connect multiple sample sources, or route flow to different downstream devices, M1 or M2 configurations are usually more convenient.

When you order through Iright, you can reference these official Cytiva code numbers directly. If needed, the Iright team can also map them to consultation-only or repurposed internal SKUs while keeping the link to the original Cytiva product identifiers.