XenoWorks™ Digital Microinjector

(Sutter Instrument)
Description

 

Designed primarily for transgenic mammal workstations, the XenoWorks Digital Microinjector is capable of holding oocytes and early embryos immobile while simultaneously providing a separate pressure channel for pronuclear microinjection of DNA or the gentle control of embryonic stem cells as they are transferred into blastocysts.

The microinjector employs two independent pressure control channels. The self-contained vacuum channel for gentle suspension-cell holding applications can be switched on and off as needed, and a responsive rotary control is used to dial the pressure up or down according to the degree of hold required.

A second channel is available which is capable of delivering both high-pressure for solution injection, and gentle positive/negative pressure for transfer of embryonic stem cells. Two modes of injection are available on this channel; in Constant Flow mode, the inject pressure set is applied to the micropipette tip for as long as the hand- or foot-switch is held down. In Pulse mode, the inject pressure is applied for a precisely timed duration, which can be set in 0.1 second increments. Both injection duration and pressure are easily selectable using rotary controls on the remote interface. Optimal ergonomics are again a prime consideration; the remote control unit provides access to all keys and rotary controls necessary to manipulate the parameters in the two pressure channels, while the separate compressor module can be shelf- or floor-mounted away from the microscope to eliminate vibration interference.

The configuration of any microinjection system will depend upon the application for which it is used. Some common applications and system configurations are:

  • Zygote pronuclear DNA microinjection
  • Embryonic stem cell transfer into blastocysts
  • Somatic cell nuclear transfer
  • Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
  • Piezo-assisted sperm-mediated transgenesis and nuclear transfer

Please contact us for suitability of XenoWorks for applications not listed here

 

FEATURES

  • Built-in compressor with remote user interface
  • Two independent pressure channels
  • Negative and positive pressure
  • Two injection modes: pulse and continuous
  • Four functions: Hold, Transfer, Inject, Clear
  • Transfer channel provides compensation pressure for high pressure injection
  • Four range settings for transfer/compensation pressure
  • Rotary controls for continuous pressure adjustment

Electrical  100 - 120 V, 60 Hz  or  220-240 V, 50 Hz

Dimensions, Weight:
Compressor module   407 mm × 440 mm × 150 mm,  1504 g
User interface module   164 mm × 123 mm × 70 mm, 42 g

Hold Function

Hold Pressure: -350 to +350 hPa in 1hPa increments

Inject Function

Inject Modes: Continuous or pulse

Inject Presure: 0 to 5600 hPa in 7hPa increments

Inject Time: 0 to 10 s in 0.1 s increments

Compensation Pressure: adjustable in 1hPa increments

Clear Pressure: Ramps from current Inject value to 5600 at 1000 hPa/s.

Inject Command: Remote interface or foot switch

Transfer Function

Transfer Pressure: -175 to +175 hPa in 1 hPa increments

Maximum Pressure

5600 hPa (inject channel)

Controls
Tactile keys, rotary optical encoders 3 × 7-segment LED display

Micropipette Holder

Diameter: 4 mm
Accepts 1 mm O.D. capillary glass
2 m PTFE tubing included