Electrophysiology

Patch clamping of brain slices is most often performed on an upright microscope and requires a micromanipulator to have a shallow approach angle of less than 20 degrees. Specifically for recording from brain slices we offer the Gibraltar platform.

The Gibraltar platform supports the upright microscope and the PCS-6200 manipulator in the traditional brain slice configuration (T-configuration) with a real approach axis. For longer piezo travel we also offer the PCS-6300 and PCS-6400 models.

In general, the recommended equipment configuration for brain slice recording would be:

Gibraltar platform
PCS-6200-T
PCS-SSH-500 (steep shallow head adaptor); for shallow angles

Motorized Gibraltar Features	Benefits
25 mm of vibration free XY motorized positioning of the microscope	The entire upright microscope can be easily moved, while the brain slice and the manipulator remain stationary
Two XY memory positions	Two areas can be reproducibly located increasing efficiency for double patching, time lapse photography
Aluminum or stainless steel top	Aluminum platform with through-holes for ease of mounting manipulators or a stainless steel top with tapped holes and spill-proof base

PCS-6200 Features	Benefits
25 mm of motorized motion in three linear axes	Coarse positioning without touching the manipulator
150 µm of piezo motion in all three axes	Piezo motion provides ultra smooth positioning, essentially turning finger movements into nanometer precision
Drift specification of better than 1 µm per hour	Stable patching, providing results faster and with less frustration
Easy tip exchange made possible by two rotary stages with adjustable stops	Tip exchange can be accomplished rapidly and easily, in some cases saving as much as 90 minutes of recording time per day
A real approach axis	Providing smoother penetration into the brain slice and reducing the possibility of tissue stress
Two year warranty	Peace of mind