A multi-mode, multi-channel system for mechanical stretching and electrical stimulation of tissue and cells
The new IonOptix Culture Pacing System is a multi-mode, multi-channel system for mechanical stretching and/or electrical stimulation of tissue and stem cells. It can be used with our C-Stretch for simultaneous stretch and stimulation or with our C-Dish electrode assemblies and standard culture dishes for electrical stimulation alone.
The Culture Pacing System uses electrostimulation and electromechanical stimulation in culture coupled with mechanical stretch offers a powerful tool to promote maturation of naive cell lines, while chronic electrical stimulation has been shown to prevent dedifferentiation of cardiomyocytes and maintain their rod shaped, striated morphology.
Pacing will maintain the rod shaped, striated morphology of the myocyte for several days. Whereas quiescent cells begin losing their contractile properties within 6 to 18 hours, most chronically paced experiments run 72 hours with little loss of contraction amplitude. Protein synthesis is also maintained and cells are kept in normal nitrogen balance for at least 72 hours. Effects have been observed in studies up to 7 days.
In a good adult rat myocyte preparation, the Culture Pacing System/C-Dish system generally gets 70-80% capture (although there is some thought that only using enough voltage to stimulate 50-60% of the cells has the advantages of pre-selection and best maintenance of the healthiest cells). Use of the system, therefore, allows for experiments requiring several days and maximizes the number of cells which can be used from each animal.
KEY FEATURES
COMPONENTS
The complete system includes our C-Pace EM chronic electrical stimulator housing up to 8 high voltage boards, our new, easy-to-use C-Pace Navigator software for simple programmability, and a combination of either C-Stretch and/or C-Dish units for stretch/stimulation or stimulation alone.
BROWSE THE TABS to learn more about the components that complete this system.
The C-Pace EM controller drives up to 8 C-Dishes and/or C-Stretches simultaneously, with features such as constant variation in frequency, insertion of periodic off beats, and programmable frequency change, and now a USB port for use with the C-Pace Navigator software. LEARN MORE
The C-Stretch allows for simultaneous electrical stimulation and mechanical stretch of cells in culture. Flexible PDMS wells are driven by a motor and combined with a carbon electrode assembly to provide electromechanical conditioning for differentiation of naive cells. LEARN MORE
The C-Dish uses carbon electrodes to electrically stimulate cells in culture and is compatible with a variety of culture dish types. LEARN MORE
C-Pace Navigator software allows users to operate both the C-Dish and C-Stretch through a user-friendly interface, making it easy to customize stretch and stimulation protocols. Key features include:
- Simple adjustments of both stretch and electrical parameters for each channel
- Pre-defined basic protocols for simple pacing procedures
- Adjustable trapezoidal waveform with expansion, hold, and contraction phases
- Save and re-load stretch and stimulation protocols
