PCS-500-SSH Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter

PCS-500-SSH Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter

The PCS-500-SSH allows very shallow angles for brain slice recording

The steepest pipette angles are achievable for inverted microscopes

The PCS-500-SSH Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter adds flexibility and increases productivity for researchers using Burleigh’s PCS-5000 Series Patch Clamp Micromanipulators.

Advantages of the PCS-500-SSH Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter:

Allows a patch clamp headstage and pipette electrode to be oriented at a very steep or very shallow angle. These angles of approach are not easily achieved with the standard headstage adapter plate included with the PCS-5000 Patch Clamp Micromanipulator.
Facilitates easy and rapid exchange of pipettes without losing "home place" through a locking handle and repeatable stops at both ends of travel.

Steep and Shallow Angles
Steep pipette angles are often desired to minimize the length of the electrode in solution with the typical angle being greater than 45 degrees. The shorter the length of the pipette in solution, the lower the stray capacitance and the lower the electrical noise measured while recording. On a typical inverted microscope, the maximum approach angle is limited by the interference of the headstage with the condenser. The Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter holds the headstage so that clearance with the condenser is maximized.

Shallow pipette angles are typically needed when working with brain slices on an upright, fixed-stage microscope. The optimum angle allows an electrode to be moved in a straight line over the brain slice chamber and under the microscope objective without breaking the glass pipette. The typical angle is 15 to 25 degrees. The Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter extends the headstage closer to the brain slice chamber and away from the manipulator. This extended design also makes it easier to arrange several patch manipulators around one brain slice.

Rapid and Easy Exchange of Pipettes
The manual linear slide of this adapter, having three inches of travel, allows the pipette to be easily removed from the preparation and a new pipette quickly and easily inserted, without losing "home place." The slide has repeatable stops at both ends of travel and is easily locked by rotating the locking handle. The location of the end-stop is set by moving the dovetail-mounted base of the slide. Using this dovetail mount, the extended location of the headstage and pipette can be set at any distance in only a few seconds. To exchange pipettes, you first simply slide the headstage and pipette back using the linear slide on the Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter. The next step is to rotate the micromanipulator base out using the base pivot. You then change the pipette, rotate the base pivot back to the repeatable stop and slide the headstage back to home position.

Compatible Products
The PCS-500-SSH Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter is designed specifically for Burleigh’s PCS-5000/6000 Series Patch Clamp Micromanipulators. Mounting holes are provided for the AXON CV-5, AXON CV-203B and HEKA EPC-9 commercial headstages. In addition, the mounting plate and keeper of the PCS-500-SSH permits the AXON CV-203B headstage to be mounted directly to the micromanipulator. The universal and symmetric design of the PCS-500-SSH Steep/Shallow Headstage Adapter offers these capabilities for both the left and right side of the microscope.