Popular Dual-Channel Wire Myograph for Comparative Artery Studies is Updated

The chamber allows vessels to be studied in two different ways:

• Simultaneous testing of two vessels in the single chamber using a divider
• Independent testing of vessels (with divider removed)

The dual chamber allows vessels to be directly and accurately compared because they can be exposed to identical concentrations of drugs or compounds. It is ideally suited to studies such as treated vs. untreated conditions or diseased vs. healthy vessel samples. It becomes possible to examine whether a given pathological state is associated with altered morphology or reactivity.

The base of the chamber contains glass windows allowing morphological observations or fluorescence measurements using an inverted microscope.

Vessels are mounted as ring preparations by threading them over two parallel wires and securing the wires to two supports or “jaws.” One support is attached to a precision micrometer, allowing manual control of vessel circumference and stretch. The other support is attached to a force transducer for the measurement of force/tension.

Typically, the preparation is kept in the heated vessel chamber in a physiological salt solution at 37°C, bubbled with oxygen where the vessels remain viable for at least 12 hours.

The preparation is mounted in a heated 10 ml robust chamber, which can be covered with a lid with ports for rapid suction/draining, refilling, and bubbling of oxygen supply. Following mounting and equilibration, the passive length-tension relationship of the vessel is determined. During the actual experiment, the circumference of the vessel is kept constant. Compounds can be added directly to the chamber, and the vessel’s contractility and reactivity are measured under isometric conditions.