Micromanipulators play a critical role in electrophysiology, as well as in micro/nanofabrication. Each application sector requires accurate positioning yet demands of a micromanipulator rig varies based on the specific application focus. From positioning for a patch clamp setup, in vivo placement, to fabrication of PCB/MEMS boards, each area has specific requirements that must be considered when deciding which micromanipulator is right for you. WPI offers several types of electrophysiology-focused products to suit your setup, as well as a breadth of micromanipulators to choose from for your specific application focus.  

For intracellular dual or differential studies, WPI's Duo773 has separate negative capacity controls and built-in active filtering that allows the precise balancing of time constants for artifact-free differential measurement. It comes complete with two probe headstages, 10¹⁵Ω and 10¹¹Ω probes to monitor signals from ion-specific micro-electrodes as well as KCl-filled electrodes. Jim shows you how to safely unpack and properly setup your new Duo773.

Use this comparison chart to choose Profile B Microelectrods. They are Tungsten Profile B, 76 mmlong wiht a 0.216 mm shaft.

An amplifier, in simplest terms, is an electronic device that magnifies an input signal. However, the way an amplifier is designed to handle noise and bandwidth limitations greatly affects the quality and sustainability of the final output signal.

WPI offers a range of isolators and stimulators. Use the chart below to find the components that are compatible.

Superior microelectrodes for outstanding extracellular recording — tungsten, iridium, platinum-iridium, and Elgiloy^®

WPI offers an array of metal microelectrodes. In this guide, we will look at introductory assortments, concentric electrodes, profile A, profile B and profile C electrodes. For basic information on these types of metal electrodes, see the Metal Microelectrode Basics page. Links to these related posts appear below this article.

Each of these assortment kits includes electrodes with different impedance within each style. Use an assortment kit to determine which electrode you need for your experiment. Each box includes the electrodes listed. There are no mix and match assortment kits.

A heat treated tip is ideal for penetrating tough membranes. (It is not recommended for chronic implantation.) This process is performed using a microforge in which the heating element is positioned in close proximity to the tip in order to melt the Parylene-C distal to the exposed metal. It provides a smooth transition and produces better adherence of the Parylene-C to the metal. Both the KT and non-KT electrodes are heat-treatable. The heat treatment is applied only to the parylene coating. The heat melts the parylene so it feathers down close to the shank near where the tip is exposed. This removes the abrupt edge where the parylene has been removed to create the tip exposure. The purpose is to prevent the parylene from delaminating from the electrode during implantation into tissue which could catch on the edge. Heat treatment does not work well in chronic applications, because the feather edge is susceptible to fluid intrusion overtime, which will alter the impedance characteristics of the electrode unfavorably.

Use this chart for selecting Platinum Iridium metal electrodes.

The term stimulation refers to the delivery of energy of some kind to a biological tissue in order to elicit an observable response.

Although the energy used in stimulation may be chemical, thermal, mechanical or electrical, this discussion will focus on electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation of biological tissues involves the delivery of current and voltage to the stimulation site. The two quantities are related by Ohm's law: