Voltage Clamps, Voltage Clamp, Current Clamps

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VCC MC8 - 8 Channel	VCC MC6 - 6 Channel
VCC MC2 - 2 Channel	VCC- 600 - 1 Channel

The voltage clamp is used by electrophysiologists to measure the ion currents across a neuronal membrane while holding the membrane voltage at a set level. Neuronal membranes contain many different kinds of ion channels, some of which are voltage gated. The voltage clamp allows the membrane voltage to be manipulated independently of the ionic currents, allowing the current-voltage relationships of membrane channels to be studied.[1]

The concept of the voltage clamp is due to Kenneth Cole[2] and George Marmount[3] in the 1940s. Cole discovered that it was possible to use two electrodes and a feedback circuit to keep the cell's membrane potential at a level set by the experimenter.

Alan Hodgkin realized that, to understand ion flux across the membrane, it was necessary to eliminate differences in membrane potential.[4] After experiments with the voltage clamp, Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley outlined the ionic causes of the action potential in 1952, for which they shared the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.[

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DM660 Single Channel Dummy Membrane

DM MC6 Single Channel Electrode Input Module and Dummy Membrane

DM6 Six Channel Dummy Membrane for VCC MC6

DM660 Single Channel Dummy Membrane

The DM660 is an electronic dummy membrane used to simulate an Ussing experiment. It is useful both in verifying the function of the voltage/current clamp and as a learning aid. This device is compatible with the VCC600.

DM MC6 Single Channel Electrode Input Module and Dummy Membrane

The DM_MC6 is an input device for connecting voltage and current electrodes to the VCC MC2, VCC MC6, and VCC MC8 instruments. The DM MC6 is a small, shielded unit that can be mounted close to individual Ussing chambers and is recommended for use with both our EasyMount Ussing Chamber Systems or for classical Ussing chamber systems. Each DM MC6 also contains a single channel “dummy membrane” for use in testing the the functionality of voltage/current clamp.

Input jacks: 2 mm pin tip. Connection to voltage/current clamp: choice of 4’ or 7’ shielded cable with modular plugs. One DM MC6 is required for each clamp channel.

DM6 Six Channel Dummy Membrane for VCC MC6

The DM6 contains six individual electronic equivalents of an epithelial tissue (i.e., - dummy membrane) that connect to the VCC MC6 via a flat ribbon cable. This device is a convenient tool for learning the features of the VCC MC6 without setting up an experiment and it provides a mechanism for verifying the operating condition of the instrument when problems are encountered during an experiment.

VCC-600 Voltage/current Clamp

VCC MC2 Dual Channel Voltage/current Clamp

VCC MC6 Multichannel Voltage/current Clamp

VCC 600 Voltage/Current Clamp

The VCC 600 is a single channel Voltage and Current Clamp designed to be a flexible tool for electrophysiological studies of ion transport by epithelial and other barrier tissues. It features an active headstage, user selectable current and fluid resistance compensation ranges, a pulse generator for conductance/resistance measurements, an interface for remote instrument control and data acquisition via computer, and large (0.5") LED readout. The VCC600 has been useful both for standard Ussing chamber experiments and, when combined with microelectrodes connected to an electrometer, for simultaneously studying transepithelial, transapical and transbasolateral membrane resistances and voltages (1,2,3,4,5) and when combined with pH measurements for determining acid and base transport (6).

VCC MC2 Dual Channel Voltage/current Clamp

The VCC MC2 is a modular two-channel voltage/current clamp with clamp channels that are interchangeable with those of the VCC MC6 and VCC MC8. It includes an integral pulse generator and computer interface circuitry in a small 9.5” chassis while maintaining nearly all the features of the single channel VCC600. The instrument reduces the amount of lab bench space required for transepithelial experiments and interfaces perfectly with our EasyMount two channel tissue and cell culture chambers systems. Each VCC MC2 includes two (2) single channel input boxes (DM MC6).

Option: ±35 V output compliance

VCC MC6 Multichannel Voltage/current Clamp

The VCC MC6 is a modular, multichannel voltage/current clamp that combines up to six individual voltage/current clamp units, a pulse generator and computer interface circuitry in a single 18" chassis while retaining nearly all the functionality of the single channel VCC600. The instrument markedly reduces the amount of lab bench space required, interfaces with the EasyMount chamber systems listed below, and makes controlling multiple tissues much more convenient. The VCC MC6 features a Master Override control which when activated permits simultaneous control of all voltage/current clamp channels using a single set of switches. Option HV increases the output compliance to ± 35V DC. This is required only for certain types of experiments. Please consult the manufacturer.

Each VCC MC6 may be purchased with either the individual DM MC6 modules with integral test dummy membrane or the EP MC6 six channel electrode input panel.

VCC MC8 Multichannel Voltage/current Clamp

The VCC MC8 is an “extended” chassis version of the VCC MC6 multichannel voltage/current clamp so that it accommodates a total of 8 voltage/current clamp modules in a 24” wide chassis. Otherwise, the instrument has the same features as the VCC MC6 including the extremely useful Master Control feature and single cable interface to our ACQUIRE & ANALYZE data acquisition system. This unit is available only with the DM_MC6 input modules above. Option HV increases the output compliance to ± 35V DC. This is required only for certain types of experiments. Please consult the manufacturer.