A method for reconstituting a lyophilized reagent contained within a reagent well comprises the steps of drawing a diluent into a pipette tip attached to an automated pipettor and dispensing the diluent into the reagent well containing the lyophilized reagent. The reagent well has an internal side wall, a bottom wall, and an open upper end and includes one or more retention features disposed about the periphery of the internal side wall and defining a central opening into the well that permits passage of the pipette tip into the reagent well. The one or more retention features are integrally formed with the internal side wall, and each of the one or more retention features extends over a portion of the lyophilized reagent, thereby retaining the lyophilized reagent within the reagent well.