The open pulled straw has been used effectively to vitrify preimplantation embryos because of geometricfeatures that allow rapid rates of temperature exchange. One possible inexpensive alternative to the openpulled straw are commercially-available microcapillary pipette tips commonly used for electrophoresis. Themain purpose of this study was to compare the survival rates of in vitro produced b...

We have developed techniques for studying patch-clamped membranes inside glass pipettes using high voltage electron microscopy (HVEM). To preserve the patch structure with the least possible distortion, we rapidly froze and freeze dried the pipette tip. The pipette is transparent for more than 50 microns from the tip. HVEM images of patches confirm light microscopy observations that the patch i...

Teakwood rack (drawn approximately to scale)Test tubes of equal calibre. . i0^l Pipette for quinine test reagent. (Capacity 0 2|3 that of test tubes.) # rnlitb' Pipette for iodide test reagent. (Capacity slt'' less than J that of the test tubes.) _ u0nt Pipette for iodide mixtures. (Capacity * ?f C-) . gltO'l' Pipette for quinine mixtures. (Capacity 1110 that of B.) Lead plate for stability. Te...

UNLABELLED Repetitive pipetting is a task that is associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the hand and arm. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usability and ergonomic performance of commercially available pipettes as determined by user ratings and objective measurements. PARTICIPANTS Participants were laboratory technicians and scientists at the Lawren...

Smooth muscle cells from rat aorta were cultured in defined, serum-free medium and studied using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Under conditions designed to isolate currents through Ca channels, step depolarizations produced inward currents which were fast in onset and inactivated rapidly, with little sustained inward current being observed. Both Ni and Cd blocked these currents, with Ni be...

The present work is a continuation of the previously reported studies on the solubilities of various amino acids in water and their thermodynamic properties (1). No precise solubility determinations on l-proline and/-hydroxyproline appear to have been carried out previously. Due to the high solubility of l-proline and l-hydroxyproline, it was not feasible to carry out solubility determinations ...

Maintaining a stable electrode potential is critical for patch-clamp measurements. The electrode potential of conventional patch electrode-holder assembly, where an Ag/AgCl wire is in direct contact with the patch pipette filling solution, is subject to drift if the pipette solution contains a low concentration of chloride ions (Cl-). We developed an agar bridge of 3 M KCl filled in a polyimide...