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Axoporator 800A Electroporator - Product ImageAxon Axoporator 800A Electroporator

The world's first commercially available single-cell electroporator represents the convergence of biophysics, cell biology, and molecular biology.

The Axoporator® 800A Electroporation System, a micropipette-based molecule delivery system uses voltage pulses to cause the transient formation of membrane pores through which membrane-impermeant molecules and ions can enter the cell. The mechanism is the same as that used for the bulk electroporation of suspended cells-dielectric breakdown of the membrane by a voltage pulse. However, single-cell electroporation offers distinct advantages over bulk electroporation:

Individual cells can be targeted for specific modification. Whether you're using isolated cells, tissue slice, or an intact preparation, this technique allows you to focus on an individual cell.

  • Precise regions of the cell can be selectively targeted. Apical vs. basal, neurite vs. axon, animal vs. vegetal pole-single cell electroporation allows you to focus on very specific regions of the cell under study. Large, isolated, and intact organelles are also suitable for single-cell electroporation.
  • Only minute compound volumes are required for electroporation. This helps preserve expensive and rare molecules.
  • Focused electroporation ensures very high rates of surviving cells - 80% on average. Cells better tolerate the intervention because only a small portion of cell membrane is severed by the voltage-delivering micropipette. Thus a cell can be electroporated more than once, e.g., for delivery of different genes or dyes successively.

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Two examples of serial single-cell electroporation on three consecutive days. The plasmids used, dsRed1-mito on day one, eYfp-golgi on day two, and eCFP-vimentin on day three (Images courtesy of Dr. Jim Rae of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.)

The Axoporator 800A Electroporator System combines two of Axon's time-proven strengths-patch-clamp technology and precise waveform generation. An LCD, push buttons, and knobs comprise the intuitive user interface. All pulse and train settings as well as pipette resistance and power readings are available on the LCD display. If desired, the micropipette voltage and current can be recorded from BNC connectors. 

Related Products

Although the Axoporator 800A Electroporator System was designed for convenient stand-alone use, an external waveform generator such as pCLAMP™ Software with a Digidata® 1550 Data Acquisition System can act as an alternative source of the pulse command. Micropipette voltage and current can be recorded from BNC connectors and stored in a pCLAMP data file. Pulse delivery can be triggered by a digital output signal (TTL pulse) from a Digidata Data Acquisition System.

This product is sold under license from Cellectricon, AB


Features
Specifications
Software
Applications
Accessories

  • Ready to use. No computer is necessary. A microscope, a micromanipulator, and a source of micropipettes are everything needed to complete the system.
  • Small footprint for easy positioning near the microscope
  • Three different pulse types, configurable in either polarity, ensure the optimal waveform for your application:
  • Rectangular "square"
  • Bipolar
  • Bilevel: a special pulse that has been demonstrated to effectively and efficiently deliver genes as large as 14 kb into a cell
  • Pulse trains for greatest flexibility of the voltage waveform
  • Automatic and manual counters simplify tracking the number of electroporation commands.
  • Voltage range up to 100 V provides the optimal voltage for single-cell electroporation, which can be up to several tens of volts in some preparations.
  • Available AP-1A-0.1MU headstage with current passing range up to ±100 μA
  • Built-in audio monitor with headphone connector changes tone as you near a cell and make contact.
  • Resistance display, in combination with audio monitor, provides a useful tool for searching out cells in a tissue slice without visual control.
  • Stand-alone or computer-controlled pulse start for greatest flexibility and synchronization with electrophysiology experiments.  See Related Products section for more details
  • Foot switch to trigger pulse start while your hands are busy
  • Sync output BNC for synchronization of a third-party recording system
  • User guide written by scientific consultants, with the assistance of Axon Instruments staff, for straightforward start-up and as an in-depth reference.

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