SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF
                    THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Filed by the Registrant |X|

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant |_|

Check the appropriate box:
   |_|  Preliminary Proxy Statement         |_| Confidential, for Use of the
                                                Commission Only (as permitted
                                                by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
   |_|  Definitive Proxy Statement
   |_|  Definitive Additional Materials
   |X|  Soliciting Material Pursuant to
        Rule 14a-12

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

   |X| No fee required.

   |_|  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
        0-11.
        (a) Title of each class of securities to which transaction
            applies:
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        (b) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        (c) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
            computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        (d) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        (e) Total Fee paid:
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   |_|  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
   |_|  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
        Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
        offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by
        registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date
        of its filing.

        (1) Amount Previously Paid:___________________________________________
        (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:_____________________
        (3) Filing Party: ____________________________________________________
        (4) Date Filed: ______________________________________________________

                 As filed with the Commission on July 11, 2000





                    INFORMATION CONCERNING PARTICIPANTS
                 (FURNISHED PURSUANT TO RULE 14A-12 OF THE
                      SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934)

        Dexter Corporation ("Dexter"), and the following persons named
below may be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies
from the shareholders of Dexter in connection with the special meeting of
shareholders of Dexter for the purpose of approving the proposed merger
with Invitrogen Corporation. The participants in this solicitation may
include the directors of Dexter (K. Grahame Walker (Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Dexter), Charles H. Curl, Henrietta Holsman Fore,
Bernard M. Fox, Robert M. Furek, Martha Clark Goss, Edgar G. Hotard, Peter
G. Kelly, Jean-Francois Saglio and George M. Whitesides) and the following
executive officers of Dexter: Kathleen Burdett, Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer; David G. Gordon, President and Chief Operating Officer,
John D. Thompson, Senior Vice President, Strategic and Business
Development; Bruce H. Beatt, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary;
Ronald C. Benham, Vice President and President-- Electronic Materials; John
B. Blatz, Vice President-- Environmen tal and Process Management; John B.
Lockwood, Vice President-- Taxes; Jeffrey W. McClelland, Vice President and
President-- Adhesive and Coating Systems; Lawrence D. McLure, Vice
President-- Human Resources; A. Duncan Middleton, Vice President and
President-- Nonwoven Materials; Rosanne Potter-- Treasurer; and Dale
Ribaudo, Controller. As of the date of this communication, none of the
foregoing participants individually own in excess of 1 percent of Dexter's
Common Stock or in the aggregate in excess of 3 percent of the Dexter's
Common Stock.

Additional information about the directors and executive officers of the
Company is included in the Dexter's Proxy Statement for its 2000 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on June 2, 2000, and will be
included in a joint proxy statements/prospectuses and other relevant
documents concerning the proposed transaction to be filed by Dexter,
Invitrogen and Life Technologies, Inc. with the SEC. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO
READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER
RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors will be able to obtain
the documents free of charge at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). The proxy
statement/prospectus and such other documents may also be obtained for free
from Dexter Corporation by directing such request to: Dexter Corporation,
One Elm Street, Windsor Locks, Connecticut 06096, Attention: Investor
Relations, (860) 292-7675.