The new xCELLigence RTCA CardioECR system combines impedance and Multi Electrode Array (MEA) technology with a pacing function. RTCA CardioECR is the first platform to allow simultaneous real-time measurement of cardiomyocyte contractility by impedance, and electric activity by field potential measurement. The system is designed to be placed in a standard tissue culture incubator with physiological temperature, CO2 level and humidity, allowing better controlled assays with both short-term and long-term measurements in real-time.
With the added MEA capabilities and pacing stimuli, the new CardioECR System allows for a deeper assessment of mechanism of toxicity. Field potential recording provided by MEA electrodes is a measure of the integrated ion channel activity that may be impacted by the tested compound, whereas the pacing function allows for controlling the rate of contractility for a more controlled assay. Furthermore, this combined dual readout system also provides a longer-term measurement of cardiomyocyte viability which can potentially identify those compounds causing longer-term structural damage to cardiomyocytes.
The RTCA CardioECR Instrument is composed of four main components:
- RTCA CardioECR Station
- RTCA CardioECR Analyzer
- RTCA CardioECR Control Unit
- E-Plate CardioECR 48
RTCA CardioECR Instrument Highlights:
- Real-time: short (hrs) and long-term (days) assay
- High throughput: conduct MEA and impedance assay simultaneously on a 48-well format
- Pacing function: 100% pacing success rate across the plate
- Tri-mode:
- RTCA mode - determination of cell growth status over the assay time
- Cardio mode - observation of cardiac beating activity over the assay time
- CardioECR mode -simultaneous recording of cardio beating activity and electric activity (field potential)over the assay time
