Engineering Creativity for Neuroscience

Electroporators

Constant Voltage Bipolar Electroporator BME-1b

In the recent years a novel method of gene transduction appeared in the field of in vivo electroporation. The essence of this new technology is the application of bipolar voltage pulses with variable amplitudes instead of the traditional monopolar pulses. You can read several valuable papers about this gene transduction technology. Two examples of the best publications are in The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science and in the Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. We have developed the Constant Voltage Bipolar Electroporator BME-1b to provide this novel technology for you.

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Specifications / Technical Data

The selectable ranges of the output voltage:

    - 5 V to + 5 V

    - 50 V to + 50 V

Maximal output current: 80 mA

Compliance voltage: +/- 60 V

External control from any PC based DAQ unit or from the Waveform Generator WFG-3a

Analog control input voltage range: - 5 V to + 5 V

Input impedance of the control input: 47 kOhm

Constant Current Monopolar Electroporator CCM-1b

The traditional way of electroporation is applying of constant voltage pulses on the biological tissue. The advantage of that method is the security, because the target can never be burnt. But the usual constant voltage method has a great drawback, that the output current is unknown. The current is depending on the resistance of the biological tissue and determined by the Ohm's law. In the aspect of electroporation the current is the only important parameter, because the electric charge passed to the target is proportional to the current, not the voltage. All in all, the amount of moving ions in the tissue is proportional to the current. We have developed the Constant Current Monopolar Electroporator CCM-1b to make you able to apply calibrated amount of electric current during electroporation.

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Specifications / Technical Data

The selectable ranges of the output current:

Compliance voltage: 120 V

Constant Current Bipolar Electroporator CCB-2a  NEW

It will be a brand new model, an improved, bipolar version of the Constant Current Monopolar Electroporator CCM-1b. We have completed the prototype testing sessions successfully. The construction is ready for manufacturing. This paragraph is a preliminary advertisement to check the potential number of interests. We will introduce this equipment as a product if our customers need it. We are ready to start. You can order it with 60 days of lead time.

Specifications / Technical Data

The selectable ranges of the output current:

    0 to 100 µA

    0 to 10 mA

Compliance voltage: 120 V

Worst-case amplitude error of the constant current generator: < 5 %

Nonlinearity of the constant current generator: < 5 %

Output overshoot: 0 (zero)

The output current can be set independently for the positive and for the negative polarity, with scaled, 10-turn, precision helical potentiometers.

Resolution of the helical potentiometers: 0.1 %

Protected, 2500 V, optically isolated TTL signal conditioner circuits at the inputs

Double security isolation

Active level at the control inputs: TTL High

Control inputs: TTL compatible, 1 unit-load

    • Control (Activate)

    • Polarity (Invert)

Waveform Generator WFG-3a

It is an optional accessory of the Constant Voltage Bipolar Electroporator BME-1b, the Constant Current Monopolar Electroporator CCM-1b, or the Constant Current Bipolar Electroporator CCB-2a. By the help of the Waveform Generator WFG-3a you can use your electroporator as a compact stand alone setup in the genetic lab. This small and handy waveform generator substitutes a space consuming PC based DAQ control system, because it can provide any difficult external control signal for your electroporator. Waveform Generator WFG-3a has got a sophisticated waveform designer program running on a Windows based PC. With this program you can compose any control waveform or pulse sequence. You can save the waveform you have designed into the internal memory of the WFG-3a. This way, by the stored waveforms, Waveform Generator WFG-3a can be used as a small, stand alone controller for the electroporators. We involve Waveform Generator WFG-3a as an OEM equipment. We build task specific modifications into its firmware for the purpose of electroporation.

Waveform Generator WFG-3a can be used as a universal controller to generate either:

    • digital TTL control pulses for the Constant Current (Monopolar or Bipolar) Electroporators

    • analog control voltage sequences, for instance user-defined, freely editable waveforms or special pulse sequences for the Constant Voltage Bipolar Electroporator

The electroporators are high voltage equipments. At a user mistake they can accidentally result an electric shock on their output To provide the maximal safety for the biological target, it is advisable to monitor the control voltage (generated by the Waveform Generator WFG-3a) by a digital storage oscilloscope. This way the unwanted electric actions can be avoided.

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In-vivo and In-utero Electroporator SP-4a

This equipment is one of the representatives of the well-known traditional (constant voltage) electroporators. It is optimized for in-vivo and in-utero applications. For this reason it has extremely high output current capability on an affordably secure voltage level. The power stage of  Electroporator SP-4a is a monopolar constant voltage generator.

Electroporator SP-4a is designed to work in the bodies of living (certainly anaesthetized) animals. That is the reason, why the maximal output voltage of our equipment is 200 V or 400 V, depending on the application. The output voltage range is set in the factory during the manufacturing process. You should specify the desired voltage range in the order.

        Click on the picture to get it in full size

Specifications / Technical Data

Output voltage ranges: 0 - 200 V, or 0 - 400 V

Manual output voltage adjustment by a 10-turn precision helical potentiometer

Output impedance: 33.6 Ohm

Real (true) output voltage indicator LED on the front plate

This equipment has got a built-in digital pulse pattern generator. That is why an independent waveform generator is not necessary to order.

The parameters of the pulse sequence is controlled by a built-in RISC microcontroller in a user-friendly menu system

Non-volatile EEPROM memory to store the parameters used last time

Pulse pattern functions:

    • Single Pulse mode

    • Burst mode

Number of output pulses: 1 - 99

Pulse length: 1 - 250 ms (adjustable in 1 ms steps)

Pause between the pulses: 10 ms - 60000 ms (adjustable in 10 ms steps)

Manual Start or externally controlled activity (may be used together, independently of each other)

Double security insulation from mains

Emergency Stop function

External Start Pedal input on the back side

Dimensions of the instrument: 290 x 250 x 120 mm

Mains voltage: 100 - 120 V or 220 - 230 V (chosen by an internal selector switch, fixed in the factory)

Power consumption without output load: 80 VA

Weight: 3.8 kg

The downloadable Product Description Leaflet of the In-vivo and In-utero Electroporator SP-4x is available.

The complete User Manual of the In-vivo and In-utero Electroporator SP-4x is available for download.

Electrodes and Cables

Nearly all kinds of in-vivo electroporation applications require different, special shaped electrodes. There is a great commercial choice of various electroporator electrodes, such as flat, pin, cuvette, tweezers, pinch and other kinds of electrodes. That is why Supertech Instruments does not offer electrodes for electroporation. But we provide the appropriate, secure, high voltage output cable for your preferred electrode, as a free accessory.

Prices

You can find the general warranty and shipping conditions in the beginning of the Price List page.

Constant Voltage Bipolar Electroporator BME-1b: 1608 EUR

Constant Current Monopolar Electroporator CCM-1b: 1416 EUR

Constant Current Bipolar Electroporator CCB-2a: 1836 EUR

Waveform Generator WFG-3a: 468 EUR

In-vivo and In-utero Electroporator SP-4a, with 200 V or 400 V compliance voltage (compliance voltage should be specified in the order): 2136 EUR

Starting Pedal (foot switch) SPSP-1, for the In-vivo and In-utero Electroporator: 132 EUR

High voltage output cable to the electrode: FREE

Copyright @ Supertech Instruments - since 1991