Overview
The VC3-8xG Series from ALA includes 8 channel valve controlled gravity perfusion systems that fulfill the basic requirements of the student lab but can also be optimized to fit the most demanding applications of patch clamp recording and/or imaging. All VC3-8xG Series systems provide electronic control of solution exchange which improves reproducibility over manual methods. These systems are designed to minimize electronic noise so sensitive electrophysiological recordings are not disturbed. Key features of the VC3-8xG Series include:
- Choice of low-maintenance pinch valves or fast-response isolation valves
- Customizable reservoir sizes and materials
- DAQ control via analog or TTL input
- Valve control through DAQ, Valve Commander software, or controller
- Optional spill sensor with automatic shutoff to protect microscope optics
- Valve open and close timestamps via analog or digital output
Last Updated on April 19, 2024
Details
Each VC3-8xG Series system includes the following:
- Magnetic stand 2 x 18″ with poles
- Valve manifold with isolation or pinch valves
- Reservoir bracket with 60mL syringe reservoirs
- VC3 electronic valve controller with a USB cable and Valve Commander software
- DB9-CABLE controller to valve manifold cable
- Manual 3-way stop cock luer valves and tubing
- **MMF-8 MiniManifold™ or MLF-8 MilliManifold™ 8 channel perfusion outlet manifolds need to be ordered separately**
Spill sensor and Flow Control Valve are options and need to be ordered separately
Each VC3-8xG Series system features a choice of valves:
-
- Pinch valves : The 3-way normally open and normally
closed pinch valves require minimal maintenance in long-term perfusion experiments and have response times of 15-20 ms.
- Isolation valves: These 2-way normally
closed isolation valves are optimized for high-speed solution exchange. These valves are completely isolated when closed and have response times of 3 to 4ms.
Additional options include:
- Spill sensor: used to detect spills around the microscope to prevent damage to expensive optics
- Flow Control Valve, FCV-1: manual pinch valve with thumb screw to adjust output flow rates from the output of the MMF-8 or MLF-8
- 5ml of 10ml syringe reservoirs
- Breakout Box: BOB-8 for TTL trigger inputs or outputs
Last Updated on April 19, 2024
Specifications
Valve Controller:
- Dimensions/Weight: 8″/20.32cm x 6″/15.24cm x 2.5″/6.35cm / 1.5lbs/0.68kg
- Power: 15VDC/3.15A
- Computer Control Input: Analog input 0.5V/valve[ TTL high 1 bit/valve; USB 2.0
- Computer Output Monitoring: Analog output 0.5V/valve; Sync TTL high; TTL high 1 bit/valve
- Manual Control: Membrane switch 1/valve; mom on/off or toggle on/off
Valve Manifolds:
- Pinch Valves: 4 x 12VDC/0.25A ea.- Sirai 3 way Pinch Valve
- Pinch Valve Opening Speed: 15 to 20 ms
- Pinch Valve ID Tubing: 0.040″/1mm
- Clippard Isolation Valves: 12VDC/0.25A ea.
- Isolation Valve Opening Speed: 1-2 ms
- Reservoirs: 60mL luer lock syringes
|
Pinch Valve |
|
| 3 way |
NO/NC port |
NC port |
| Response time |
15 to 20ms |
2 to 5ms |
| Wetted area |
silicone tubing |
PTFE |
| Voltage |
12V |
12V |
| Power |
4.2W |
1W |
Gravity flow rate specifications assuming 60mL reservoirs are full without the manual pinch flow valve attached:
|
Height (cm)
|
with MLF (mL/min)
|
with MMF (mLmin)
|
|
90
|
11
|
37
|
|
80
|
10
|
31
|
|
70
|
9
|
29
|
|
60
|
8
|
25
|
|
50
|
7
|
22
|
Last Updated on April 19, 2024
Accessories
Last Updated on April 19, 2024
References
Megan McGrath, Helen Hoyt, Andrea Pence, Selwyn S. Jayakar, Xiaojuan Zhou, Stuart A. Forman, Jonathan B. Cohen, Keith W. Miller, Douglas E. Raines; Competitive Antagonism of Etomidate Action by Diazepam: In Vitro GABAA Receptor and In Vivo Zebrafish Studies. Anesthesiology 2020;133(3):583-594. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000003403.
Nikonov, A.A., Maruska, K.P. Male dominance status regulates odor-evoked processing in the forebrain of a cichlid fish. Sci Rep 9, 5083 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-41521-6
Pressly, B., Vasylieva, N., Barnych, B. et al. Comparison of the toxicokinetics of the convulsants picrotoxinin and tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS) in mice. Arch Toxicol 94, 1995–2007 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-020-02728-z
Last Updated on April 19, 2024
Ordering
| Part# |
Description |
|
ALA VC3-8PG
|
8 Channel Gravity Bath Perfusion System: controller, power supply, magnetic stand with 2 poles, valve manifold with pinch valves, valve bank to controller cable, software, 8 x 60ml reservoirs and bracket, 4 luer valves, VC3- 4TUBE – order MMF-8 or MLF-8 separately. Spill sensor and flow control valve are optional |
|
ALA VC3-8CLG
|
8 Channel Gravity Bath Perfusion System: controller, power supply, magnetic stand with 2 poles, valve manifold with isolation valves, valve bank to controller cable, software, 8 x 60ml reservoirs and bracket, 8 luer valves, VC3- 8TUBE – order MMF-8 or MLF-8 separately. Spill sensor and flow control valve are optional |
|
ALA VC3-8C
|
8 channel VC3 electronic valve controller including power supply, cables and software |
|
ALA VC3-PS
|
VC3 electronic valve controller power supply |
|
ALA RESBRACK-8
|
8 Reservoir bracket for 60mL reservoirs with mounting block – other reservoir sizes available |
|
ALA MLF-8
|
MilliManifold™ 8 to 1 channel perfusion outlet manifold made of 500um ID polyimide tubing with 1/16″ barb fittings |
|
ALA MMF-8
|
MiniManifold™ 8 to 1 channel perfusion outlet manifold made of 1/16″ ID polyimide tubing with 1/16″ barb fittings |
|
ALA 60mLSYRINGE
|
Box of 25 60mL syringes |
|
ALA 3WLV
|
Replacement manual 3-way stop cock luer valve |
|
ALA PV
|
Replacement pinch valve |
|
ALA PV-2
|
Replacement manual pinch flow valve |
|
ALA CLP
|
Clippard isolation 2 way valve |
|
ALA DB9-CABLE
|
Replacement VC3 controller to valve manifold cable |
|
ALA BOB-8
|
Breakout Box for TTL trigger to 8 BNC |
|
ALA VM-STAND
|
Replacement valve manifold stand: magnetic base and 2 rods |
|
ALA SPILSNSR
|
Replacement Lasso Spill Sensor with connector |
|
ALA TUBING-2
|
10′ 1/16″ ID and 1/8″ OD PVC tubing |
|
ALA TUBING-3
|
2′ Silicone pinch valve tubing |
|
ALA VC3-8TUBE
|
VC3-8 tubing kit – PVC/silicone tubing and connectors |
Last Updated on April 19, 2024
