title: Microprocessor controlled trituration device for the dissociation of cardiac and other tissues.
abstract: The construction of an inexpensive microprocessor controlled piston/cylinder used in the dissociation of canine cardiac Purkinje fibres is described. The microprocessor, interfaced to a linear actuator, controls the motion of a piston using the higher level language "Tiny BASIC" and two machine language routines. Pressure changes generated by the piston are transferred to the lumen of a pipette. Movement of enzymatically-treated tissues through the pipette orifice facilitates dissociation into single cells. With this device, specific agitation protocols for different quantities and types of tissues are possible.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D004285:Dogs; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008838:Microcomputers; D010827:Physiology / Q000379:methods; D011690:Purkinje Fibers / Q000502:physiology*