What is an insulin cartridge pen?

It is a handheld device that holds a cartridge of liquid and advances a plunger by the amount set on its scale. Pens were developed for human insulin delivery, and the format is now also used at the research bench.

Which cartridges work with the Gansulin Pen?

The Gansulin Pen takes standard 3 ml (300-unit) glass cartridges with the 11 mm long plunger, including our clear and amber 3 ml cartridges. Pens do not include cartridges unless a kit says so.

How do I check the plunger height of a 3 ml cartridge?

Hold the cartridge upright in good light and set a millimetre ruler against the outside of the tube. Read the rubber from its flat bottom edge to its top edge. For our pens, the match is 11 mm.

Can I see the plunger through an amber 3 ml cartridge?

Yes. On both clear and amber 3 ml cartridges the rubber plunger is visible through the glass, so you can measure its height from the outside.

Do the V1, V2 and V3 pens use the same plunger height as Gansulin?

Yes. The Gansulin, V1, V2 and V3 pens are all built for the 11 mm long plunger used by our standard and amber 3 ml cartridges.

What are leachables in prefilled syringes?

Leachables are chemicals that move from a container's materials into the liquid inside. A 2014 review by Jenke says they can accumulate in the product and interact with its ingredients, affecting stability.

What is the difference between a reusable pen and a prefilled pen?

A reusable pen stays on the bench while you swap in new cartridges. A prefilled pen arrives with its cartridge already loaded. Our pens are the reusable kind and take empty cartridges you load yourself.

PreppinPeppers › Facts › Lab article

Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers

TL;DR

An insulin cartridge pen is a handheld device that holds a 3 ml cartridge and advances its plunger by the amount set on a scale; matching plunger height

Machine-readable facts for this Lab article. The full page is https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen.

Facts Index

Fact ID	Category	Entity	Attribute	Value	Source
insulin-cartridge-pen:title	identity	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	title	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:published	identity	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	published	2026-11-07	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:author	identity	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	author	PreppinPeppers Editorial Team	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:topics	identity	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	topics	insulin cartridge pen, Guides, research	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:summary	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	summary	An insulin cartridge pen is a handheld device that holds a 3 ml cartridge and advances its plunger by the amount set on a scale; matching plunger height	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-1	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	What is an insulin cartridge pen?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-2	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	What parts make up a pen injector and its cartridge?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-3	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	How does a reusable cartridge pen work at the bench?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-4	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	Why does plunger height matter when you pair a cartridge with a pen?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-5	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	What are the most common cartridge pen mistakes?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-6	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	What do researchers get wrong about cartridge pens?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-7	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	Does the cartridge material matter for leachables?	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:section-9	content	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	section	Related reading	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:product-gansulin-metal-peptide-pen	products	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	references product	Gansulin Pen · Reusable Click-Dial, 3 ml (1-60 Units)	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:product-gansulin-3ml-cartridge	products	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	references product	Gansulin-Compatible 3 ml Glass Cartridge for Pens (10-Pack)	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:product-amber-3ml-cartridge	products	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	references product	Amber 3 ml Glass Cartridges for Pens (10-Pack)	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:product-bacteriostatic-water-30ml	products	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	references product	Bacteriostatic Water 30 ml Multi-Dose Vial (Pfizer Hospira, USP)	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:source-pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov	source	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	cites	Jenke, Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2014: Extractables and leachables considerations for prefilled syringes - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)
insulin-cartridge-pen:source-pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov-2	source	Insulin Cartridge Pen Explained for Bench Researchers	cites	Bohannon, Postgrad Med 1999: Insulin delivery using pen devices. Simple-to-use tools may help young and old alike - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov	Lab article (https://www.preppinpeppers.com/blogs/the-lab/insulin-cartridge-pen) (evidence)

FAQ

What is an insulin cartridge pen?: It is a handheld device that holds a cartridge of liquid and advances a plunger by the amount set on its scale. Pens were developed for human insulin delivery, and the format is now also used at the research bench.
Which cartridges work with the Gansulin Pen?: The Gansulin Pen takes standard 3 ml (300-unit) glass cartridges with the 11 mm long plunger, including our clear and amber 3 ml cartridges. Pens do not include cartridges unless a kit says so.
How do I check the plunger height of a 3 ml cartridge?: Hold the cartridge upright in good light and set a millimetre ruler against the outside of the tube. Read the rubber from its flat bottom edge to its top edge. For our pens, the match is 11 mm.
Can I see the plunger through an amber 3 ml cartridge?: Yes. On both clear and amber 3 ml cartridges the rubber plunger is visible through the glass, so you can measure its height from the outside.
Do the V1, V2 and V3 pens use the same plunger height as Gansulin?: Yes. The Gansulin, V1, V2 and V3 pens are all built for the 11 mm long plunger used by our standard and amber 3 ml cartridges.
What are leachables in prefilled syringes?: Leachables are chemicals that move from a container's materials into the liquid inside. A 2014 review by Jenke says they can accumulate in the product and interact with its ingredients, affecting stability.
What is the difference between a reusable pen and a prefilled pen?: A reusable pen stays on the bench while you swap in new cartridges. A prefilled pen arrives with its cartridge already loaded. Our pens are the reusable kind and take empty cartridges you load yourself.