Graz Tissue Bath System

The flexible Graz Tissue Bath System can be used for many standard pharmacological experiments to measure smooth and skeletal muscle contractions. The muscle contractions produced can be measured either as forces (isometrically) or as displacements (isotonically).

Features & Benefits
Applications
System Components
Additional Equipment Required

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Features & Benefits

• Simple, clear, 4-channel arrangement or single bath unit
• Rigid, stable construction—essential for measuring small contraction forces
• Contractions can be measured isometrically or isotonically
• Interchangeable tissue baths: 2, 5, 10 or 20 ml
• Experiments with minimum test substance quantities are possible using small tissue vessels
• Adaptable to different tissue preparations using suitable type of tissue support
• Tissue holders with integral field stimulating electrode available
• Simple to operate, easy to clean

Applications

• Suitable for most standard pharmacological experiments
• Designed for vascular rings but suitable for most standard pharmacological experiments
• Permits experiments on smooth muscle, cardiac (atria), skeletal muscles preparations, vascular rings

This apparatus was developed for experiments on small isolated vascular rings (1 to 2 mm diameter) with special attention to a low incubation volume of the medium.The smallest tissue bath available has a volume of 2 ml. Larger tissue baths of 5, 10 or 20 ml are available for larger vessels and other muscle preparations. These baths can also be used for experiments on papillary muscle or isolated atria (e.g. guinea-pig), with provision for electrical stimulation.

All systems are comprised of a basic unit plus selected tissue baths (2 ml to 20 ml), tissue holders and tissue supports are mounted on the rods of the basic unit. System components are described below:

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System Components

Basic Unit: Plexiglass plate with four vertical rods for mounting, including distribution block for connecting thermostatic circulator. Dimensions: 40 x 60 x 35 cm

Tissue Baths (Vessels): jacketed, 2, 5, 10, or 20 ml with frit and stop cock for flushing. The perfusion solution is aerated by glass frits fused into the vessel bottom. A needle valves is provided for each tissue vessel to permit accurate adjustment of the gas flow.

Tissue Supports: comprised of (1) core tissue holders (with or without field stimulation electrodes) and (2) tissue support sets.

• Core Tissue Holder: two types of core holder are available with or without field stimulation electrodes. The field stimulation electrodes are two parallel platinum plates of 15 x 5 mm separated by 11 mm for the 10 or 20 ml tissue vessels or 12 x 5 mm and separated by 6 mm for the 2 and 5 ml glassware.

• Support Set: consists of the anchor for the tissue, mounted on the core holder and the connecting wire to the transducer. The anchors can be easily interchanged to adapt to the current experiment.
  • Support set for muscle strips (see Fig. 1), hook, connection wire from muscle strip to force transducer,wire diameter 0.5 mm
  • Support set for vessel and tracheal rings (see Fig 2), including connection wire from tissue to force transducer, wire diameter 0.3 mm fixed pin length 6 mm for very small vessels.Support set for vessel and tracheal rings including connection wire from tissue to force transducer,with 0.5 mm diameter fixed pin length 11 mm. (Can only be used with 10 or 20 ml vessels and cannot be used with core support with electrical stimulation). 
• Mounting Material: block clamps (for 1 position) and stopper ring
• Gas Distribution Block: includes five needle valves for exact adjustment of gas flow

Additional Equipment Required

Thermociculator, a reservoir for the solution, isometric force or displacement transducer*, monitoring system setup using the PLUGSYS Amplifier System, Recording and Evaluation of the signals using ACAD software, in case of electrical stimulation a multiple output stimulator is required

*For contraction force: FT20 or FT50 isometric force transducers, or K30 or K100 force displacement transducers are suitable. For displacement measurements: HSE-HA Isotonic Lever Transducer B40.

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