MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes
Contents
1. Important Information and Instructions Operator s Obligations Guaranty and Liability Important Safety Advice First Use of the MEA Amplifier Welcome to the MEA Amplifier Setting Up and Connecting the MEA Amplifier First Tests and Tutorial First Functional Tests General Performance Noise Level Operating the MEA Amplifier Signal Amplification and Filters Temperature Control Mounting the MEA Probe and Grounding the Bath Stimulation Service and Maintenance Troubleshooting About Troubleshooting Noise on Single Electrodes Unsteady Baseline Artifacts on All Channels Unpredictable Noise and Artifacts Liquid Spilled onto Amplifier Technical Support Appendix Technical Specifications 7 1 1 Pin and MEA Layout 7 1 2 MEA1060 Up 7 1 3 Heating Element 7 1 4 Model Test Probe Contact Information Ordering Information Index ma RWW WwW ul 10 11 13 13 15 15 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 21 21 24 25 26 26 27 31 1 1 Introduction Introduction About this Manual This manual comprises all important information about the first installation of the hardware and software and about the daily work with the instrument It is assumed that you have already a basic understanding of technical and software terms No special skills are required to read this manual If you are using the device for the first time please read the important safety advice before installing the hardware and software where2. 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 MEA electrode 52 51 53 54 61 62 71 63 72 82 73 83 64 74 84 85 75 65 86 76 87 77 66 78 67 68 55 56 58 57 Appendix 23 7 1 2 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual MEA1060 Up Operating temperature Storage temperature Dimensions W x D x H Weight Supply voltage external power supply Supply current Number of stimulus input channels Maximum recommended stimulus input voltage Number of analog input channels Input voltage Input impedance Input noise Noise density Number of analog output channels Output voltage Output current Output impedance Bandwidth Gain Microscope compatibility Distance focal plane to microscope table 24 10 C to 50 C 0 C to 50 C 165 mm x 165 mm x 14 5 mm 19 mm with sockets 600 g 6 VDC to 9 VDC max 220 mA typically 150 mA 60 n a 60 0 to 4 mV with respect to the standard gain of 1200 10 Q parallel to 10 pF lt 800 nv e 15nV 4 Hz 60 5V 10 mA 3000 10 Hz to 3000 Hz standard 1 Hz to 5000 Hz custom 1200 standard 500 to 5000 custom Upright microscopes 8mm Appendix 7 1 3 Heating Element The heating element is mounted onto the bottom side of the base plate of the MEA1060 amplifier It is used for keeping the temperature in the MEA culture chamber stable during recordings Input voltage max 10 V Input current max2A Temp
3. Channels You see strange artifacts on all channels This behavior can be caused by an insufficient supply power Please see the Technical Specifications section If the voltage drops beyond a critical level the amplifier cannot operate properly resulting in artifacts or in a saturation of the amplifier 11 000 sec X amp x 160 gt me E 00 J 100 l Peak Detection 8 Nahm YA FD f 200 jJ mo r pH 40 9 s d n 40 56 Li a Am 40 m mu c m5 20 m Pad 5s 5 fe 4 35 x P a 4 3 e D 40 0 n fop AL n A L LA amp Mentem di h sit wf orent MA SH E l iii AX r a H R F TE Nt ge A Mules Lal qw A ne fS wy VP Mei osten Mp R Say Mee Mp Np Marie Aere T jene Ap ttm 1 T igi p 41 d 3 A A Nep eate W nidi s tit m Mene 1 a a S 4 PAA Nap PIT Pup TT Senn dnte ane Y ve PA Af AA mss gr E A 5 H T y 3 gene d Aat bep v m usa tnit leal Nar Ap en fs s bibi 2 ay 3 3 FF c Mi P Ww d ane gene Us t J Possible causes The cable connecting the amplifier to the power supply that is the MCS High Grade cable leading from the amplifier to the data acquisition computer if you have an MEA System is too long The applied voltage is not high enough for operating the amplifier Use a shorter cable if possible or try another power supply with a higher output power MCS High Grade cables wi
4. G9 G9 O LJ O 69096769 69 69 69 626569 69 69 O amp amp 9 210100600088 000001 O 000060068668 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual The following illustration shows the standard pin layout of the socket on the amplifier The list below shows the assignment of the electrodes to the pins of the socket Pin 1 is the ground of the power supply pin 2 is the ground of the signal that is where the signal is referred to Both pins are already internally connected inside the amplifier Channels A1 A4 are the four additional analog inputs of the MC Card that are not used by the MEA amplifier You can access channels A1 A3 via the BNC sockets labeled Analog IN on the rear side of the data acquisition computer of the MEA System see also MEA System User Manual 68 Pin MCS standard socket 00000 00000 Pin 1 GNDP power ground Pin 2 GNDS signal ground Pin 3 62 Electrode channels see separate list Pin 63 66 Channel A1 A4 Pin 67 Positive voltage supply Pin 68 Negative voltage supply 22 Assignment pin to electrode 68 Pin socket pin coo N DU HR WW 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 MEA electrode 47 48 46 45 38 37 28 36 27 17 26 16 35 25 15 14 24 34 13 23 12 22 33 21 32 31 44 43 41 42 68 Pin socket pin 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
5. on the safe side For more information on stimulation via MEA electrodes see also the MEA User Manual Liquid Spilled onto Amplifier Warning Spilled liquid can damage or even completely destroy the electronics of the MEA amplifier Avoid it by all means Of course it is best to completely avoid this situation and consider the following instructions as an emergency measurement only Even with this measurement a severe damage to the instrument cannot be excluded It is very important that the amplifier is not connected or used again before repair to avoid further damage caused by corrosion Even if the initial damage is negligible the additional damage inflicted by corrosion over a longer period of time can completely destroy the electronics Immediately remove the amplifier from the power supply that is unplug the amplifier Do not connect or use it again before repair Contact your local retailer and send the amplifier to Multi Channel Systems for cleaning and repair Multi Channel Systems will check the device and prepare a quote for you depending on the work and material costs needed for repair 19 6 7 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Technical Support Please read the Troubleshooting part of the User Manual Help first Most problems are caused by minor handling errors Contact your local retailer immediately if the cause of trouble remains unclear Please understand that information on your hardware
6. you will find important information about the installation and first steps The printed manual and Help are basically the same so it is up to you which one you will use The Help offers you the advantage of scrolling through the text in a non linear fashion picking up all information you need especially if you use the Index the Search function and the Browse Sequences If you are going to read larger text passages however you may prefer the printed manual The device and the software are part of an ongoing developmental process Please understand that the provided documentation is not always up to date The latest information can be found in the Help Check also the MCS Web site www multichannelsystems com for downloading up to date manuals and Help files 2 1 2 2 Important Information and Instructions Important Information and Instructions Operator s Obligations The operator is obliged to allow only persons to work on the device who are familiar with the safety at work and accident prevention regulations and have been instructed how to use the device are professionally qualified or have specialist knowledge and training and have received instruction in the use of the device have read and understood the chapter on safety and the warning instructions in this manual and confirmed this with their signature It must be monitored at regular intervals that the operating personnel are working safely Personnel still unde
7. amaged power cords should be replaced immediately and may never be reused Check the leads for damage Damaged leads should be replaced immediately and may never be reused Do not try to insert anything sharp or metallic into the vents or the case Liquids may cause short circuits or other damage Keep the device and the power cords always dry Do not handle it with wet hands Requirements for the installation Make sure that the device is not exposed to direct sunlight Do not place anything on top of the device and do not place it on top of another heat producing device Never cover the device not even partially so that the air can circulate freely Otherwise the device may overheat Use and keep the device only in a dry environment Fluids or damp air may damage or destroy the device Spilled liquid can damage or even completely destroy the electronics of the MEA amplifier Avoid it by all means 3 First Use of the MEA Amplifier First Use of the MEA Amplifier 3 1 Welcome to the MEA Amplifier Raw data from up to 60 electrodes of a microelectrode array MEA is amplified by 60 channels of filter amplifiers that are built very small and compact using SMD Surface Mounted Devices technology The small sized MEA amplifier combines the interface to the MEA probe with the signal filtering and the amplification of the signal The compact design reduces line pick up and keeps the noise level down The MEA sensor is placed direc
8. amplifier MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Setting Up and Connecting the MEA Amplifier Warning Spilled liquid can damage or even completely destroy the electronics of the MEA amplifier Please be extremely careful when setting up your perfusion system and when starting the perfusion Take care that the flow rates of the inlet and outlet flow match so that flooding of the amplifier is efficiently prevented Note The housing of the MEA amplifiers was optimized for Zeiss Axiovert microscopes MEA Amplifiers are compatible to most standard microscopes if the following prerequisites are met This MEA amplifier type has been developed for standard upright microscopes with a rectangular microscope table The focal plane of the microscope has to be in a distance of 8 mm to the microscope table Note If you use a complete MEA System the MEA amplifier will usually be powered by the isolated power supply IPS10W that is integrated into the data acquisition computer The power is distributed along the MCS 68 Pin High Grade Cable If you use your MEA amplifiers together with an MEA Switch or if you use a custom data acquisition system without IPS10W you will need an external power supply for operating the amplifier s Please ask your local retailer for more information on setup options Connect the MEA amplifier s output to the MC_Card input labeled MC_Card Ch 01 64 or to your custom data acquisition card with a 68 pin MCS standa
9. and software configuration is necessary to analyze and finally solve the problem you encounter Please keep information on the following at hand Description of the error and of the context in which the error occurred Try to remember all steps you had performed immediately before the error occurred The more information on the actual situation you can provide the easier it is to track the problem The serial number of the device You will find it on the device Description of the data acquisition system The operating system and service pack number on the connected computer The hardware configuration Isolated Power Supply IPS10W microprocessor frequency main memory hard disk of the connected computer This information is especially important if you have modified the computer or installed new hard or software recently Other connected hardware 20 Appendix 7 Appendix 7 1 Technical Specifications 7 1 1 Pin and MEA Layout The layout of standard MEA electrodes follows the scheme of a standard grid The first digit is the column number and the second digit is the row number For example electrode 23 is positioned in the third row of the second column The numbering follows the standard order from left to right and from top to bottom O 630962096903 69626269626269 620 0 MEA Layout O G2 63 63 63 amp 69 6
10. erature or contact your local retailer 5 2 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual MEA1060 Standard MC_Card frequency band Gain 10 100 1000 10000 Frequency Hz If you use an MEA System the isolated power supply IPS10W that is integrated in the data acquisition computer supplies the power for operating the MEA amplifier The power is distributed along the MCS High Grade cable Please consider that the amplifier can only operate properly if the supply voltage and current specifications are fulfilled especially if you use a custom power supply See also the Technical Specifications and the Troubleshooting section Temperature Control The biological sample is cultured directly on the MEA You can record without needing an incubator because a heating element is integrated into the amplifier and the perfusion cannula and are both controlled by a Temperature Controller Temperature Controller and perfusion cannula with heating element and sensor are either included in the MEA System or can be ordered separately You have several options regarding the culture chamber such as a semipermeable seal that guarantees stable environmental conditions For using the integrated heating element of the MEA amplifier connect it with the black cable to the Temperature Controller The heating is active but the cooling is passive Therefore the minimum temperature is limited by the room temperature Please refer to the Tem
11. erature sensor PT 100 Resistance 15x20 Heating temperature Ambient temperature min 10 C to 50 C Accuracy 0 1 C in the range of 20 C to 40 C Recovery time 0 5 min to 2 min Calibration constant T c R R R for c 259 7 C Thermal resistance 6 C Watt Typical time constant 50s Pin layout HE for MEA1060 amplifiers pin layout 2 3 8 Ll Pin 1 6 Heating Pin 2 5 Temperature sensor supply Pin 3 4 Temperature sensor probe 25 7 1 4 7 2 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Model Test Probe The provided model test probe simulates an MEA with a resistor of 220 kQ and a 1 nF capacitor between bath and electrode for all 60 electrodes and can be used for testing MEA amplifiers Model test probe for MEA amplifiers GND bath Pad electrode Contact Information Local retailer Please see the list of official MCS distributors on the MCS web site User forum The Multi Channel Systems User Forum provides the opportunity for you to exchange your experience or thoughts with other users worldwide Mailing list If you have subscribed to the Mailing List you will be automatically informed about new software releases upcoming events and other news on the product line You can subscribe to the list on the MCS web site www multichannelsystems com 26 7 3 Appendix Ordering Information Product information is subject to change without notice Please con
12. functions of the hard and software like a short tutorial It will take only a few minutes time and can save you time and trouble in the long run Multi Channel Systems recommends running these tests after the setup of your system before you start your real experiments General Performance Noise Level Please use the provided model test probe to test the amplifier immediately after installation The model test probe is already mounted on the amplifier It simulates an MEA with a resistor of 220 kO and a 1 nF capacitor between bath and electrode Use MC Rack or your custom data acquisition program to record from the model test probe and to check the amplifier Setting up MC Rack Please refer to the MC Rack User Manual for more information Start MC Rack Open the file MEA Display rck on the installation volume This basic rack contains the virtual MC Card instrument with appropriate gain settings and a continuous raw data display OR Set up the rack on your own Click Set Channel Layout on the Edit menu Select a 2 dimensional MEA layout Add the MC Card to your virtual rack Click the Hardware tab of the MC Card and enter the amplifier gain standard 1200 On the Edit menu click Add Data Display to add a raw data display to your virtual rack Starting the recording On the Measurement menu click Start to start the recording You see the raw data streams of all 60 channels in the typical MEA layout You may have to adju
13. grounding the bath This has the advantage that you can keep the culture chamber closed and sterile for example with MEA MEM semipermeable membranes Important If you use an MEA with internal reference electrode you have to connect pin 15 to ground with the provided cable Setting electrode 15 to ground in the MEA Select program is not sufficient for grounding the bath 11 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Attach the provided silver wire or pellet to the amplifier s ground and place it into the bath near the rim of the culture chamber If you use an MEA with internal reference electrode connect the ground to the reference electrode socket pin 15 with the provided connector Make sure that the orientation of the MEA inside the amplifier is appropriate m purl peed _ EM mm 2 Replace the shielding 12 Operating the MEA Amplifier 5 4 Stimulation Recommended stimulus protocols for MEA electrodes According to the experience of MEA users voltage pulses should be lt 1 V 100 mV 900mV to avoid damage to electrode and cells See also Potter S M Wagenaar D A and DeMarse T B 2005 Closing the Loop Stimulation Feedback Systems for Embodied MEA Cultures Advances in Network Electrophysiology Using Multi Electrode Arrays M Taketani and M Baudry Springer Wagenaar D A Madhavan R Pine J and Potter S M 2005 Controlling bursting i
14. ier For MEA1060 Up MEA1060 Up BC amplifier For MEA1060 Up MEA1060 Up BC amplifier With ground not necessary for MEA1060BC amplifiers MEA Systems Product MEA recording system for inverted microscopes 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for inverted microscopes 60 electrode channels 2 MEA amplifiers MEA recording system for upright microscopes 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for upright microscopes 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for inverted microscopes with advanced perfusion 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for inverted microscopes with advanced perfusion 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for upright microscopes with advanced perfusion 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for upright microscopes with advanced perfusion 60 electrode channels MEA recording system for inverted microscopes 120 electrode channels MEA recording system for inverted microscopes 120 electrode channels MEA recording system for upright microscopes 120 electrode channels MEA recording system for upright microscopes 120 electrode channels Product Number MEA60 Inv System MEA60 Inv 2 System MEA60 Up System MEA60 Up 2 System MEA60 Inv System E MEA60 Inv 2 System E MEA60 Up System E MEA60 Up 2 System E MEA120 Inv System MEA120 Inv 4 System MEA120 Up System MEA120 Up 4 System Appendix Descript
15. inated Clean the contact pads carefully with a swab and pure 100 96 alcohol The contact pads or the electrodes are damaged Use anew MEA Try to handle and clean the MEA more carefully next time 15 6 3 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Contact pin is defective Possible causes The contact pins are contaminated Clean the contact pins carefully with a smooth and clean tissue and pure 100 alcohol The contact pins are damaged Replace the contact pins carefully Please see the Spare Parts list under Ordering Information Try to handle and clean the contact pins more carefully next time Unsteady Baseline The baseline is unstable signals are jumping or drifting Possible causes Bath electrode is not connected to ground Connect the internal or external bath electrode to one of the ground inputs of the amplifier as described in Mounting the MEA Probe AgCl bath electrode needs is not well chlorided Rechloride the electrode or use a new one The MEA has an internal reference electrode and pin 15 is connected to ground appropriately but the orientation of the MEA inside the amplifier is wrong In this case the wrong standard size for recording electrode is connected to ground but not the reference electrode Open the amplifier and check the orientation of the MEA and the reference electrodeas described in Mounting the MEA Probe 16 6 4 Troubleshooting Artifacts on All
16. information on the technical specifications of your amplifier please see the separate data sheet that is delivered with each amplifier Please note that the ratio of the output signal to the input signal that is the gain is not a fixed parameter for the complete bandwidth The gain that was specified for the amplifier for example 1200 is not fully reached at the borders of the amplifier s pass band The general rule is that at the lower and upper limit of the frequency band the gain is Y2 2 that is approximately 70 96 of the full gain Therefore you should use a bandwidth that is at a safe distance of the signals of interest Outside the pass band the gain decreases with the frequency and finally approaches zero The following illustration shows a typical frequency band of the MEA amplifier with standard gain and bandwidth in blue Output signal amplitudes were divided by the input signal amplitude and the resulting gain was plotted versus the input signal frequency on a logarithmic scale A straight line at approximately 70 96 of the specified gain intersects the plotted curve at the lower and upper limit of the pass band The low pass filter property of the combined MEA1060 amplifier and MC Card in black is only slightly different For information on the gain and filters of the MC Card data acquisition system please see the ME MEA System User Manual For more information on gain and filters in general please refer to standard lit
17. ing advice prior to install or to use the device and the software If you do not fulfill all requirements stated below this may lead to malfunctions or breakage of connected hardware or even fatal injuries Warning Obey always the rules of local regulations and laws Only qualified personnel should be allowed to perform laboratory work Work according to good laboratory practice to obtain best results and to minimize risks The product has been built to the state of the art and in accordance with recognized safety engineering rules The device may only be used for its intended purpose be used when in a perfect condition Improper use could lead to serious even fatal injuries to the user or third parties and damage to the device itself or other material damage Warning The device and the software are not intended for medical uses and must not be used on humans Malfunctions which could impair safety should be rectified immediately High Voltage Electrical cords must be properly laid and installed The length and quality of the cords must be in accordance with local provisions Only qualified technicians may work on the electrical system It is essential that the accident prevention regulations and those of the employers liability associations are observed Each time before starting up make sure that the mains supply agrees with the specifications of the product Check the power cord for damage each time the site is changed D
18. ion Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC_Card MEA1060 Inv amplifier TC01 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card 2 x MEA1060 Inv amplifier MEAS2 1 TCO2 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card MEA1060 Up amplifier TC01 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card 2 x MEA1060 Up amplifier MEAS2 1 TCO2 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card MEA1060 Inv amplifier TC02 PHO1 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card 2 x MEA1060 Inv amplifier MEAS2 1 2 x TCO2 2 x PHOT power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card MEA1060 Up amplifier TC02 PHO1 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card 2 x MEA1060 Up amplifier 2 x TC02 2 x PHO1 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card MEA1060 Inv amplifier TC02 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card 4 x MEA1060 Inv amplifier MEAS4 2 2 x TCO2 power supply and accessories Complete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card MEA1060 Up amplifier TC02 power supply and accessories C
19. ion for example for connecting an oscilloscope or other devices to single channels 27 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Spare Parts Product Heating element with 8 mm bore hole Heating element with 12 mm bore hole Heating element with 23 mm bore hole Heating element Cable assembly 0 5 m 68 pin MCS Standard cable 1 m 68 pin MCS Standard cable 3 m 68 pin MCS Standard cable Ag AgCl pellet Ag AgCl pellet Ag wire Ag wire Solder lug Gold spring contacts Gold spring contacts Gold spring contact comb 3 Pole cable from STG to MEA1060 Red single pole cable from STG to MEA1060 Black single pole cable from STG to MEA1060 28 Product Number HE Inv 8 HE Inv 12 HE Inv 23 HE Up CA C68x0 5M C68x1M C68x3M P1060 Inv P1060 Up W1060 Inv W1060 Up SL1060 Inv GSC1060 Inv GSC1060 Up GSCC1060 Up C3P CR CB Description For MEA1060 Inv MEA1060 Inv BC amplifier Available with bore holes in different sizes for using smaller or larger microscope objectives The smallest size has the best temperature controlling properties For MEA1060 Up MEA1060 Up BC amplifier For HE Inv or HE Up For MEA or ME Systems For MEA1060 Inv MEA1060 Inv BC amplifier For MEA1060 Up MEA1060 Up BC amplifier For MEA1060 Inv MEA1060 Inv BC amplifier For MEA1060 Up MEA1060 Up BC amplifier For MEA1060 Inv MEA1060 Inv BC amplifier For MEA1060 Inv MEA1060 Inv BC amplif
20. mulation STG2008 30 Index A Aliasing B Band pass band Bandwidth C Change MEA Connecting Contact Information F Faraday cage Filters bandwidth Frequency band G Gain H Heating l IPS10W 11 26 10 M MC_Card MEA layout mounting Model Test Probe Mounting MEA Probe Noise troubleshooting Noise Level testing P Pin layout S Signal amplification Signal to noise Stimulation T Temperature connecting the Temperature Controller Temperature control Index 21 11 26 11 15 21 13 10 31
21. multichannel systems MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual eeeeeeed 990990909 eeeeee Information in this document is subject to change without notice No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without the express written permission of Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or for damages resulting from the use of information contained in this document or from the use of programs and source code that may accompany it In no event shall the publisher and the author be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this document 2004 2005 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH All rights reserved Printed 2005 07 28 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH AspenhaustraBe 21 72770 Reutlingen Germany Fon 49 71 21 90 925 0 Fax 49 71 21 90 925 11 info multichannelsystems com www multichannelsystems com Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Products that are referred to in this document may be either trademarks and or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be noted as such The publisher and the author make no claim to these trademarks 7 2 7 3 Table Of Contents Introduction About this Manual
22. n cortical cultures with closed loop multi electrode stimulation J Neurosci 25 3 680 8 Stimulation with MEA electrodes You can use any MEA electrode for stimulation Simply connect the output channel s of your stimulus generator to the input socket s of any desired electrode s You should use the slide switches for disconnecting stimulating electrodes from the amplifier Switch positions during recording and stimulation Stimulus input Switched to GND during stimulation slide switch Electrode I GND Service and Maintenance Data acquisition You should clean the contact pins of the amplifier with a soft tissue and pure 100 96 alcohol from time to time especially if you have problems with the noise level It may be necessary after a longer time of operation to replace the contact pins Replace gold connectors each year or if there are problems with the contacts Please see the Spare Parts list under Ordering Information Warning Please be very careful when handling the amplifier cleaning the device or replacing contact pins The pins can be easily damaged 13 6 1 6 2 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting About Troubleshooting The following hints are provided to solve special problems that have been reported by users Most problems occur seldom and only under specific circumstances Please check the mentioned possible causes carefully when you have any trouble with the product In most cases it is
23. omplete with 5 MEAs data acquisition computer with MC Card 4 x MEA1060 Up amplifier MEAS4 2 2 x TCO2 power supply and accessories 29 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual MEA Switch Product MEA Switch for 4 amplifiers MEA Switch for 2 amplifiers Product Description Number MEAS4 2 The MEA Switch allows you to acquire data from 60 single channels from two MEA1060 MEAS2 1 amplifiers If you have a 128 channel MC Card MEA 120 System you can even pick 128 channels in total from two MEA pairs with the MEA Switch for four amplifiers MEAS4 2 The selected channels are combined to one Electrode Raw Data stream that is delivered to MC_Card by a 68 pin MCS High Stimulus pulse generators Product 1 Channel stimulus generator 2 Channel stimulus generator 4 Channel stimulus generator 8 Channel stimulus generator 4 Channel stimulus generator 8 Channel stimulus generator Grade Cable Product Description Number STG1001 General purpose stimulators for a very wide variety of applications Flexible and easy to use MC Stimulus software enables complex stimulus waveforms both STG1002 current and voltage Stimulus isolation units are integrated in the STG for each channel With additional digital trigger in and output STG1004 STG1008 STG2004 Advanced version with 4 additional digital trigger in and outputs About 100 x faster download via USB 16 times more memory for long time sti
24. only a minor problem that can be easily avoided or solved If the problem persists please contact your local retailer The highly qualified staff will be glad to help you Please inform your local retailer as well if other problems that are not mentioned in this documentation occur even if you have solved the problem on your own This helps other users and it helps MCS to optimize the instrument and the documentation Please pay attention to the safety and service information chapter Important Safety Advice and Service and Maintenance in the User Manual Help Multi Channel Systems has put all effort into making the product fully stable and reliable but like all high performance products it has to be handled with care Noise on Single Electrodes The noise level on single electrodes is significantly higher than 8 pV Possible causes The electrode or the contact pin of the amplifier may be defective To test this do the following Open the amplifier and turn the MEA by 90 degrees Close the amplifier again and start the recording If the same electrode in the MEA layout is affected the amplifier s contact is not ok If another electrode is now affected and the previously affected electrode is ok now the MEA electrode is not ok but the amplifier is fine OR Use the model test probe to test the amplifier MEA electrode is defective See also the MEA User Manual Possible causes The contact pads are contam
25. perature Controller User Manual for more information Important Please make sure that you have selected the appropriate PID coefficients for the amplifier type for inverted or upright microscopes in use 10 5 3 A Operating the MEA Amplifier Mounting the MEA Probe and Grounding the Bath Warning Do not use too much force Otherwise you could damage the delicate MEA or contact pins of the amplifier Mounting the MEA Probe Open the lid of the MEA amplifier Place the MEA probe inside The writing NMI should be on the right side Otherwise the MEA layout will not match with the pin layout This is not very important for standard MEAs with a symmetric electrode field as long as you document the orientation for your own reference but it is important for asymmetric MEAs for example with internal reference electrode Replace the lid and close it carefully Do not unpress the Change MEA button until you have grounded the bath and replaced the shielding that is until the setup has been completely finished Grounding the bath You can ground the bath with a plain silver wire or with an Ag AgCl pellet Only the Ag AgCl electrode provides a stable intrinsic potential In practice the plain silver wire will be ok for 90 of applications If you do not achieve satisfying results with the plain silver wire try an Ag AgCl electrode If you use MEAs with internal reference electrode you can use the reference electrode for
26. rd cable If you have an MEA120 System connect the second MEA amplifier with a 68 pin MCS standard cable to the input for channels 65 128 labeled MC_CX64 Ch 65 128 If you are using an MEA Switch connect the amplifiers to the MEA Switch inputs and the MEA Switch outputs to the MC_Card Place the MEA amplifier onto the microscope table Connect the internal heating element to a Temperature Controller s output channel D Sub9 socket with the black cable The Temperature Controller is not part of the standard scope of delivery but is included in the MEA System and can also be ordered separately Do not connect the black heating element cable to the data acquisition computer You should use a Faraday cage or appropriate materials for example aluminum foil for shielding the amplifier The shielding should be connected to the amplifier s ground for example to the screws of the cover Please see also the separate handout MEA Microelectrode Systems for setup suggestions with detailed illustrations 4 1 4 2 First Tests and Tutorial First Tests and Tutorial First Functional Tests Each MEA amplifier has been thoroughly tested at the factory site before delivery However you may want to perform some tests yourself before you begin your experiment to exclude any damage that might have occurred during transportation or to fulfill your own guidelines for instance Some of the tests will also help you to get to know the basic
27. re that the full gain is used for signal amplification For slow signals like field potentials a bandwidth of 1 300 Hz is appropriate If you like to record fast signals like spikes a pass band of 300 Hz to 3 kHz is suitable Cardiac signals have fast and slow components therefore you usually need a wider bandwidth of 1 Hz to 3 kHz Multi Channel Systems provides custom amplifiers with a bandwidth of your choice from 0 1 Hz to 10 kHz Please note that it is often useful to acquire the data with a broadband amplifier and use the digital filter of the free MC_Rack program to change the pass band and filter the raw data This way you are much more flexible in designing your experiments As a further advantage you can see the original not filtered data as well This is especially important because all filters are known to distort signals On the other hand you may need a higher sampling rate to avoid aliasing and you will have a lower signal to noise ratio The standard gain of a MEA amplifier is 1200 1100 in case of a MEA amplifier with blanking circuit which is fine for most applications but MCS can also provide amplifiers with a gain of your choice from 100 to 5000 as well For large signals for example from whole heart preparations you need a lower gain to prevent a saturation of the amplifier Please note that the gain is a fixed hardware property and that you cannot change the gain of the amplifier by software controls For more
28. rgoing training may only work on the device under the supervision of an experienced person Guaranty and Liability The General conditions of sale and delivery of Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH always apply The operator will receive these no later than on conclusion of the contract Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH makes no guaranty as to the accuracy of any and all tests and data generated by the use of the device or the software It is up to the user to use good laboratory practice to establish the validity of his findings Guaranty and liability claims in the event of injury or material damage are excluded when they are the result of one of the following Improper use of the device Improper installation commissioning operation or maintenance of the device Operating the device when the safety and protective devices are defective and or inoperable Non observance of the instructions in the manual with regard to transport storage installation commissioning operation or maintenance of the device Unauthorized structural alterations to the device Unauthorized modifications to the system settings Inadequate monitoring of device components subject to wear Improperly executed and unauthorized repairs Unauthorized opening of the device or its components Catastrophic events due to the effect of foreign bodies or acts of God MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual Important Safety Advice Warning Make sure to read the follow
29. st the position and span of the axes until you can clearly see the noise level You should see the baseline with a maximum noise level of 8 UV The following screen shot shows a recording from a typical MEA amplifier with a model test probe and a sampling rate of 25 kHz MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual ii Model Test Probe Noise Level OF x 85 000 sec XAxis 1000 ms gt 00 E 9 5000 v Pea EN 85thsweep YAvis 20 p w 200 J 200 Fso 200 4010 200 4010 200 4010 200 4010 200 4010 200 4010 200 4010 200 40 41 51 61 71 je NEP NP ON A SP LE a y D aaa A a aa DO OH A SD PUB PE D INED SA OR RA Double click a channel in the display to have a closer look E Model Test Probe Noise Level iof x 5 000 sec Axis 1000 y ms 00 H 5000 v Pea Sth sweep YAws EEE EE 200 200 100 150 200 300 350 400 5 1 Operating the MEA Amplifier Operating the MEA Amplifier Signal Amplification and Filters The standard MEA amplifier combines the probe interface with a band pass filter and the signal amplification in one instrument Different filter settings are used for different applications to enhance the signal to noise ratio The pass band of the filter amplifier should be chosen according to the signal type It is generally useful to set the upper limit of the amplifier near the highest expected signal frequency but also at a safe distance to make su
30. t possible 18 Troubleshooting Possible causes You use voltage stimuli with a higher amplitude than 5 V Multi Channel Systems recommends not to exceed the maximum recommended stimulus input range of 5 V see Technical Specifications under Appendix Please adjust the amplitude of the stimuli used You use current driven stimulation and you have started the stimulation before selecting a stimulating electrode in MEA Select In this case the stimulus generator sends the current into the open circuit of the amplifier This is not an allowed operation Always start the stimulus generator after having selected a stimulating electrode in MEA Select Make sure you have selected the appropriate stimulus input and downloaded the information onto the amplifier You use current stimuli and electrodes with a smaller diameter than 30 pm or older electrodes with a higher impedance Multi Channel Systems recommends not to exceed the maximum recommended stimulus input range of 5 V see Technical Specifications under Appendix To avoid this the stimulation with current is generally not recommended especially not with electrodes that have a high impedance The impedance of electrodes with a lower diameter or the impedance of older deteriorated electrodes is considerably higher resulting in a high voltage exceeding the input range MCS recommends to use voltage stimuli with an amplitude in the recommended stimulus input range to be
31. tact your local retailer for pricing and ordering information MEA amplifiers Product Product Description Number MEA amplifier for MEA1060 Inv Probe interface and 60 channel pre and filter inverted microscopes amplifier with custom gain and bandwidth MEA amplifier for upright MEA1060 Up microscopes MEA amplifier with MEA1060 Inv Probe interface and 60 channel pre and filter blanking circuit for BC amplifier with custom gain and bandwidth inverted microscopes The blanking circuit prevents the amplifier MEA amplifier with MEA1060 Up BC from getting saturated and thus prevents blanking circuit for stimulus artifacts upright microscopes Accessories Product Product Description Number Adapter for MEAs MEA STIM For use with MEAs 200 30 Ti stim or 200 30 ITO stim with 8 special Adapter and MEA1060 Inv amplifier electrodes for stimulation Holder with M3 MPM3 For fixing tools with M3 threads next to the MEA threads 1 Channel TCO1 PID based technology set point temperature reached temperature fast within 30 s to 5 minutes control temperature controller range from ambient temperature to 50 C 2 Channel TCO2 temperature controller Perfusion cannula PHO1 Temperature can be programmed with the with temperature controller TC01 or TCO2 programmable fluid temperature Signal divider for SD MEA Placed between an MEA1060 amplifier and MC Card MEA Systems permits to select any channel does not interfere with the data acquisit
32. th a total length of up to 3 m and the isolated power supply IPS10W are recommended for the MEA System You have connected too many amplifiers to your power supply The isolated power supply IPS10W that is integrated in your data acquisition computer if you use an MEA System can supply power for up to three standard MEA amplifiers Use an additional power supply for operating the amplifiers or reduce the number of amplifiers The supply power is too low for operating the amplifier This is especially likely if you use a custom power supply Contact your local retailer describe the problem and your hardware configuration and ask for a power supply that is suitable for your amplifier 17 MEA Amplifier for Upright Microscopes User Manual 6 5 Unpredictable Noise and Artifacts You use the amplifier for stimulation and you see unpredictable noise and or artifacts on single or all channels E Triggered Data 271 430sec XAxis 500 fs gt 4100 Jp 5 200 43th sweep YAxis 100 p nV 4 1000 J 100 0 CHER X CT LEE TERRES LATE bal ape ee me me me 311 484sec XAxis 500 gt ms 100 H 200 121st sweep YAxis 1000 v 10000 1 10000 Fig 1 Current driven stimulation 100 uA electrode 33 on 10 um TiN electrodes Due to the higher electrode impedance the maximum input voltage of the MEA1060 BC amplifier is exceeded when applying a 100 uA pulse and a proper operation is no
33. tly into the small sized MEA amplifier When the amplifier is closed the contact pins in the lid of the amplifier are pressed onto the MEA contact pads The very close location of the amplifier to the MEA sensor is very favorable concerning a high signal to noise ratio MEA amplifiers can be ordered with different gain and bandwidth configurations by the user s choice For example typical pass bands would be 1 300 Hz for recording field potentials and 300 3000 Hz for recording action potentials It is also possible to use a broadband amplifier and filter the data with the digital filter of the free MC_Rack program Gain settings from 100 to 5000 are possible The amplifier is connected to the data acquisition computer via a single 68 pin MCS Standard cable The analog output signals of the MEA amplifier are then acquired and digitized by the MC_Card MEA System or your custom data acquisition system MEA amplifiers have an integrated heating system for controlling the MEA s temperature The desired temperature can be easily programmed with a temperature controller You will not need an incubator during recording all environmental conditions are reliably controlled directly in the MEA dish You can then simply ground bad or unwanted electrodes by toggling small switches on the amplifier You can also connect a stimulus generator to any electrode s for stimulation Amplifier inputs are grounded during stimulation to prevent a saturation of the
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