Bipolar Suction Electrode

FOR BIPOLAR RECORDINGS

Increased shielding, simpler connectivity to amplifiers, and the addition of a reference lead.

The bipolar suction electrode was recently updated under the direction of Dr. Barry Rhoades of Wesleyan College and incorporates many ideas given by A-M Systems customers over the years. These enhancements include simpler connectivity to amplifiers, better shielding, and the addition of a reference lead, enabling the electrode to record in both the positive and negative polarities.

The tissue to be recorded from or stimulated from draws into the end of the suction electrode when a negative pressure is applied to the suction electrode's interior chamber through the little side port (either using a tiny disposable pipettor tip, a tiny piece of tubing, or a tiny glass capillary pipette). A silver wire that is attached to a jack on the electrode's back is also present in the inner cavity. Short wire outside the cavity can be used as the reference electrode, or the circuit can be completed by soldering a silver-silver chloride pellet to the suction electrode's reference wire. Depending on your preferences, the suction electrode is available with either a separate ground wire or a conductive EMI shield coating.

It is simple to record extracellularly from extremely tiny hearts, insects, intestinal neurons, and muscular tissue using the suction electrode. It is feasible to record from tissues or animals when they contract, expand, or change positions if the glass capillary is removed and replaced with some small diameter tubing. There are also instructions on how to use commonly available disposable pipettor tips, which eliminates the necessity for and expense of utilizing pulled glass pipettes.

Each electrode comes with a set of 4" leads to connect it to your amplifier, a short segment of tubing to make it simple to connect it to a luer suction source, and a number of disposable pipette tips to facilitate recording by students.

On Model 1700 Amplifier and Model 3000 Amplifier, the manufacturer also provides dedicated cables that link the suction electrode directly to the input connectors (5-pin or 15-pin, respectively).

Features

• Bipolar.
• Integrated ground shielding is optional.
• Straightforward basic connectors for connecting to typical amplifiers.
• A big interior volume.
• Can be used with disposable pipettor tips, glass capillary pipettes, or small diameter tubing.
• Supports capillary glass with an outside diameter of 1.2 to 1.5 mm.

Purchase Options

You can buy the biopolar suction electrode with or without integrated EMI shielding (the black coating). Unshielded electrodes still have access to a ground and a reference wire.