MiWA1 is an electrical stimulator for cells cultured in a 35mm culture dish.
MiWA1 is an electrical stimulator for cells cultured in a 35mm culture dish. This device can safely be used in humid conditions so that users can incubate cells with electrical stimulation in a CO2/O2 incubator. The system has various features including a timer function that gives electrical stimulation to cultured cells at long intervals and variable timing. In addition, MiWA1 can work simultaneously with external devices such as imaging systems, and can therefore be used as a normal stimulator for physiological experiments.
Complex patterns of stimuli can be setup with easy operation using the LCD touch screen. MiWA1 can generate up to 8 individual channels of electrical stimuli. Each channel can be divided into two outputs resulting in a total of 16 simultaneous culture chambers.
Cultured Chamber and Electrode
Culture chamber and its structure
Cultured chamber for MiWA1 consists of a 35mm plastic dish with platinum loop electrodes and stimulation electrode attached. The current injected from the stimulation electrode spreads like a concentric circle and flows into loop electrode. This structure of electrodes allows efficient stimulation to cells within loop electrodes.
8 Individual Channels of Programmable Stimuli
Example of output pulse
8 channels of pulse generation can be controlled individually. For example, it is possible to set channel1 to 1KHz and channel2 at 2.3KHz easily. Users can set many patterns with regards to timing and trigger in very complex pulse trains. MiWA1 is also designed to effectively set sequential stimulus programs that are frequently used. Each channel splits into a 2nd output. Therefore, MiWA1 can stimulate 16 culture chambers simultaneously.
Cell Culture with MiWA1 in CO2/O2 incubator
Example of MiWA1 and incubator
MiWA1 can be combined with standard incubators. It is also designed to adapt to humid environments so that user can incubate cells with electric stimulation in CO2/O2 incubator.
Stimulation Range of 0 - 25V/1.25mA
MiWA1 has the ability to generate electric pulses up to a maximum 25V. The voltage can be accurately set by the resolution of 0.1V within the range from 0 to 25V. Because series resistance on the output edge is 20k Ω, the current of up to 1.25mA maximum can be delivered through the stimulation electrode.
Various functions: internal timer, current monitor etc
MiWA1 has internal ON/OFF timer. For example, it is possible to stimulate for 6 hours after 2 hour intervals. It is also possible to stimulate every 30 minutes.
Easy setup of stimulation protocol with LCD touch screen
Stimulation pattern can be programmed, saved and opened by using LCD touch screen of main controller. Users can easily familiarize themselves with the touch panel operation. MiWA1 has a "Setup" window in which users can select amplitude/ polarity/width/number/delay of the stimulus pulse. "Wave Monitor" window can be utilized to check output voltage and act as a simple digital oscilloscope. The "Load/Save" window is designed for users to save/load stimulation patterns.
Synchronization with external devices
If MiWA1 can be used as a stimulator for physiological experiments in which users identify excitability of cultured cells in response to electrical stimulation, MiWA1 must synchronize with external devices such as an imaging system. MiWA1 can act as a slave against an external device and output a stimulation pulse which will be synchronized with the external trigger signal.
- Electrical stimulation to various types of cultured cells
- Electro-physiological analysis of cultured cells
- 8ch stimulator for various experiments
- A tool for combining electrical and chemical events
- For increasing gene/protein expression