Microplates are flat plates with multiple wells used in laboratories for various experiments, particularly in biology and chemistry. Each well can hold small volumes of liquids, allowing researchers to conduct multiple tests simultaneously. This efficiency is crucial for high-throughput screening, where many samples are analyzed quickly. Typically made from materials like plastic or glass, microplates come in different formats, such as 96-well, 384-well, or 1536-well plates, depending on the number of wells they contain. They are commonly used in applications like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and cell culture, making them essential tools in scientific research.