Muscle Physiology Products
Aurora Scientific’s muscle physiology products are designed to test the force-length-velocity characteristics of all types of muscle ranging from myofibrils to dog hind limb muscle. Our muscle physiology instruments include dual-mode levers, length controllers, force transducers, stimulators, data acquisition hardware and software and experimental apparatus. All of our products are sold individually or in complete systems. Select a product category or scroll to explore our solutions.
Complete Systems
Complete systems from Aurora Scientific include everything you require to generate scientific results. Each system is comprised of specific test apparatus, matched with optimized controllers, levers or transducers that are required to perform the assay or measurement of interest on your sample of choice. Complete systems are available for a wide range of samples, including single myofibrils, cells, fibers, whole muscle and whole animal. To this we include a data acquisition system, PC station and analysis software that best suites the tissue type and breadth of experiments being done. Click to explore complete muscle physiology systems by Aurora Scientific.
Controllers, Levers & Transducers
Aurora Scientific’s range of controllers, levers and transducers can be employed within a Complete System or as a stand-alone device. Integrated controllers provide a smaller footprint by combining the dual-mode lever system stimulator and USB data acquisition into a single box, perfect for portability and limited bench space. Aurora’s flagship dual-mode lever combines the power of a force transducer and length controller in a single motor, making dynamic contractions in whole skeletal muscle, whole animal or intact muscles possible with a single attachment point. For single cell, fiber or engineered constructs, where speed & resolution is needed for experiments such as kTR and force-velocity, we have our high-speed length controllers and isometric force transducers.
Stimulators
Aurora Scientific’s stimulator is a high-powered, bi-phase stimulator designed to meet the specific needs of muscle researchers. Regardless of solution composition, electrode size or electrode spacing, the stimulator will deliver the power and flexibility you need for the most demanding of field stimulation protocols as well as the precision required for in-vivo nerve and muscle stimulation. Aurora’s stimulator is integrated into our Complete Systems that measure intact muscle tissue and can also be employed as a stand-alone instrument for electrophysiology and engineered tissues, among others. Click to explore Aurora Scientific’s stimulators.
Test Apparatus
Specially designed and tailored for the muscle tissue being measured, Aurora Scientific test apparatus are engineered to integrate one of our lever systems, length controllers and/or force transducers in order to mount, bathe, visualize and mechanically test these tissues. Whether this be an automated bath to measure mechanics of single fibers, to a platform that measures whole animal hindlimb function in rodents and swine. These apparatus can integrate electrodes for intact tissue stimulation as well as precise temperature control for sensitive tissues and be microscope mountable for imaging of sarcomere length and calcium transients. Click to explore Aurora Scientific’s test apparatus.
Hardware & Software
Custom designed and written for Muscle Physiology, Function, and therapeutic/disease models, Aurora Scientific data acquisition and analysis hardware and software gives you everything you need to plan and execute the most demanding experiments. This equipment can be part of a complete system, consisting of a PC, A/D card, interface and custom software (Linux or Windows) best suited for the tissue type and breadth of experiments being done. In addition, stand-alone items such as software can be used to add to an existing rig, such as High-Speed Sarcomere Length (HVSL). Click to explore data acquisition and analysis hardware and software provided by Aurora Scientific.
Fluorescence Solutions
The calcium fluorescence system from Aurora Scientific enables physiology researchers to easily measure ratiometric calcium along with tissue length, force and sarcomere length in a single-time stamped file. Powerful twitch-based software controls all instruments and collects and analyzes the data. The entire system can be automated to perform entire experiments in a repeatable fashion. The software and hardware can be configured to work with any indicator fluorophore (BCECF, Fluo-3/4, Fura-2, Indo-1) to easily control the light source for excitation and collect emissions through one or more PMTs. Click to explore Aurora Scientific’s fluorescence solutions.
Complete Muscle Test Systems

1200A: Isolated Muscle System – Mouse
The 1200A isolated muscle test system is a leading solution for quantifying mechanical properties of isolated muscle. This system is ideal for a number of limb muscles including the TA, EDL, Soleus, Gastroc and for diaphragm strips and smaller muscle samples.

1205A: Isolated Muscle System – Rat
The 1205A isolated muscle test system is optimized for the study of mechanical properties of rat isolated muscle samples. Just like the 1200A, this system is ideal for a number of limb muscles such as TA, EDL, Soleus, Gastroc and for diaphragm strips and smaller muscle samples.

1300A: 3-in-1 Whole Animal System – Mouse
The 1300A is a high performing, precise test system, giving researchers a simple method to test tensile and other mechanical properties of muscle samples from mice. By combining in-situ, in-vivo and in-vitro muscle tests using one simple platform, researchers can capture a complete picture of muscle physiology.

1305A: 3-in-1 Whole Animal System – Rat
The 1305A is a high performing, precise test system, giving researchers a simple method to test tensile and other mechanical properties of muscle samples from rats. By combining in-situ, in-vivo and in-vitro muscle tests using one simple platform, researchers can capture a complete picture of muscle physiology.

1310A: 3-in-1 Whole Animal System – Large Rodent & Small Animal
A flexible test system delivering accurate measurement of large rodent & small animal muscle properties in-situ, in-vivo, and in-vitro. This is ideal for live animal protocols including injury and longitudinal studies, allowing researchers to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of intact muscle of large rodents, either isolated in-situ, with a footplate (ex-vivo) or isolated in-vitro.

1400A: Permeabilized Fiber System – Microscope Mountable
The 1400A and 1410A Permeabilized Fiber Systems are designed to enhance experimental throughput and simplify complex permeabilized fiber experiments. They provide accurate measurements of fiber properties across a broad range of applications and tests.

1500A: Isolated Muscle System – Microscope Mountable
With numerous configurations, the Isolated Muscle Systems (1500A, 1510A and 1530A) are highly integrated, turnkey systems providing physiology researchers a simple way to control and measure intact muscle and physiological small tissue samples.

1600A: Permeabilized Myocyte System – Microscope Mountable
The 1600A Permeabilized Myocyte Test System is designed to streamline contractile property testing in skinned myocytes. A large cell mounting area provides ample room for cell attachment while push button controlled motorized stages simplify cell attachment to a high-speed servo motor and our 400 series precision force transducers.

1700A: Myofibril System – Microscope Mountable
The 1700A Myofibril System is the first commercially available myofibril system specifically designed to measure the nano-Newton forces arising from activation of single myofibrils. This is a complete test system, including all hardware required to characterize myofibril contraction.
Integrated Systems
150A: Integrated Muscle Test Controller
The 150A Integrated Muscle Test Controller is a new family of integrated instruments which combine a standard Aurora Scientific 300C Series Dual-Mode Lever System, 701C Stimulator and USB Data Acquisition hardware into one standard-sized enclosure. The 150A eliminates all external signal cables since all inputs and outputs between the software and the instruments are made internally in the enclosure.
Muscle Products & Components

Dual-Mode Muscle Levers
The 300C series of muscle levers allow the mechanical properties of a number of muscle types and sizes to be characterized. Models are available for small force measurements up to 0.5N with a resolution of 0.3mN (e.g. mouse diaphragm strip or soleus), up to a maximum force measurement of 100N with a resolution of 10mN (e.g. dog hind limb).

High-Speed Length Controllers
The 315D and 322D High-Speed Length Controllers gives physiologists the ability to control and measure length of single cells, fibers and whole muscle with ease. Highly sensitive motors allow complete automated control of length measurements of a vast number of biological specimens such as skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle, connective tissue, and compliant tissue.

Force Transducers
The 400C series of isometric force transducers enables contractile measurements from a variety of muscle types and sizes and are designed to meet the needs of muscle researchers. Each model is capable of measuring force in both tension and compression. These transducers are more robust and have less compliance than typical semi-conductor strain gauges.

Electrical Stimulation
The 701C is a high-powered, bi-phase stimulator designed to meet the specific needs of muscle researchers. Regardless of solution composition, electrode size or electrode spacing, the 701C will deliver the power and flexibility you need for the most demanding of field stimulation protocols.

Test Apparatus
Aurora Scientific Test Apparatus are precision designed and engineered for specific functional studies of muscle units, whether in-vivo, in-vitro, or in-situ protocols. Test Apparatus are designed for specific cell type and assay, and can be combined with Dual-mode Levers, Force-transducers, and other control units to create multi-functional systems.

Data Acquisition Hardware & Software
Custom designed and tailored for Muscle Physiology, Function, and therapeutic/disease models, Aurora Scientific data acquisition and analysis software gives you everything you need to plan and execute the most demanding experiments.

Sarcomere Length
The High-Speed Video Sarcomere Length (HVSL) system provides high-speed, accurate sarcomere length measurement from a live video image. The software provides dynamic tracking of sarcomere length within the image which ensures that, as the tissue moves and contracts, the same sarcomeres will always be used for the calculation.

Ratiometric Calcium Measurement
Our 950A is a complete calcium contractility system including light source, optics, photomultipliers and twitch-based software. The 955A FluoroTrack Calcium Fluorescence Software is a powerful solution that enables physiology researchers to easily measure intracellular calcium along with tissue length, force and sarcomere length.