955A: FluoroTrack – Calcium Fluorescence Software
FluoroTrack is powerful, twitch-based, software that enables physiology researchers to easily measure intracellular calcium along with tissue length, force and sarcomere length. The software seamlessly integrates with all Aurora Scientific products and with fluorescence photometry equipment from leading suppliers. The software can be run in manual our automatic modes, providing the researcher with maximum flexibility when trying new protocols or executing repeated complex experiments.
The 955A FluoroTrack software controls the fluorescence photometry equipment and collects the fluorescence signals from the photomultiplier in either a voltage or photon counts modes. Test protocols written using the 600A Protocol Editor control the entire experiment including the stimulator, high-speed length controller, force transducer, apparatus, fluorescence equipment and sarcomere length measurement. Data collected from all of these instruments is stored in a single, time-stamped, file. This highly integrated system allows a single computer to control and store data from many different instruments including those from Aurora Scientific, IonOptix and Sutter.
Powerful Twitch Analysis provides an easy-to-use analysis and data export capability. Length, Force, SL, Ratio and Calcium data streams can be analyzed to provide average twitch data and statistics.
Stories of Success
950A – Software Module Helps Synchronize Cutting Edge Data In Myocyte Research
CHALLENGE
In late 2013 Dr. Chris Ward of the University of Maryland was working on improving experimental techniques for measuring force, SL and calcium release in single, living myocytes from the FDB muscle. Dr. Ward had been a long time user of our equipment and was already using our 600A and HVSL software programs to record force and SL. However, he had been using another lab built solution to measure calcium and was searching for a way to easily synchronize all three measurements.
SOLUTION
The Aurora Scientific FluoroTrack software proved to be the missing piece. FluoroTrack allowed real-time monitoring of calcium transients and integrated seamlessly with the existing HVSL and 600A programs. In addition, Aurora Scientific made minor customizations to be compatible with Dr. Ward’s existing light source and calcium measurement instruments.
RESULTS
After making these configurations Dr. Ward was able to begin collecting synchronized data almost immediately. This integration provided a single, time-stamped file for easy collection and analysis of force, SL and calcium from FDB cells. The data collected were presented at a Biophysical society meeting some short 2 months later and has gone on to be published. The system is still an integral part of Dr. Ward’s research and the software continues to evolve and be improved thanks to feedback from Dr. Ward’s lab and other researchers.
Select References
- Kerr, Jaclyn P. et al. “Detyrosinated microtubules modulate mechanotransduction in heart and skeletal muscle.” Nature communications (2015) DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9526
- Norden, Diana M. et al “Tumor growth increases neuroinflammation, fatigue and depressive-like behavior prior to alterations in muscle function.” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (2015) DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.07.013
- Tangney, Jared R. et al. “Timing and magnitude of systolic stretch affect myofilament activation and mechanical work.” American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology (2014) DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00233.2014
- Raval, Kunil K. et al. “Pompe disease results in a Golgi-based glycosylation deficit in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.” The Journal of Biological Chemistry (2015) DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M114.628628
- Heden et al. “Mitochondrial PE potentiates respiratory enzymes to amplify skeletal muscle aerobic capacity” Science Advances (2019) DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax8352
- Gharanei, Mayel “Investigation into the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin on contractile function and the protection afforded by cyclosporin A using the work-loop assay.” Toxicology in Vitro (2014) DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2014.01.011
- Munarin et al. “Engineered human myocardium with local release of angiogenic proteins improves vascularization and cardiac function in injured rat hearts” Biomaterials (2020) DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120033
- de Lange, Willem J. et al. “E258K HCM-causing mutation in cardiac MyBP-C reduces contractile force and accelerates twitch kinetics by disrupting the cMyBP-C and myosin S2 interaction.” The Journal of General Physiology (2013) DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201311018
- Gharanei, Mayel et al. “Doxorubicin induced myocardial injury is exacerbated following ischaemic stress via opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.” Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (2013) DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2012.12.003
- Dwenger et al. “Chronic Optogenetic Pacing of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Engineered Cardiac Tissues” Channelrhodopsin (2020) DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0830-2_10
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Learn MoreSpecifications
| Hardware Specifications | 955A |
|---|---|
| Light Sources Controlled | Horiba (Photon Technology International): DeltaRAM X Ion Optix: Hyperswitch1 Sutter: DG-4, DG-5 Vincent: Uniblitz shutter |
| Aurora Scientific Instruments Controlled |
300 series length controllers, 400 series force transducers, 700 series stimulators, 800 series apparatus, 901D HVSL sarcomere length |
| Operating Modes | FURA-2 – dual excitation interpolated FURA-2 – dual excitation interleaved INDO – single excitation, dual emission FLUO – single excitation, single emission |
1 = Requires 960A FluoroDAQ Data Acquisition Controller
| Software Specifications | 955A |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Linux – RTAI, real-time |
| Companion Software | 600A, 602A, 802D, 820A, 901D |
| Shutter Control | Remote control of shutter |
| Stimulation Control | Manual or Automatic stimulation control – frequency (Hz. or BPM), pulse width, pulse duration |
| Data Channels Recorded | Numerator, Denominator, Ratio, Ca2+, Length, Force, SL, Stimulation Timing |
| Background Light Measurement | Simple, easy-to-use measurement of background light level |
| Scrolling Data Display | Real-time data output of chosen channels. Displays up to 4 hours of data – zoom function, time base control, pause function |
| Data Tags | Create data tags with mouse or F-key, create tags during data collection or after, place tags at chosen time |
| Twitch Analysis Displays | Time Series, Twitch Based, Data Records in table view, Tags in table view, Tags shown on Time Series and Twitch Based views |
| Twitch Analysis | Easily choose twitches of interest Twitch Analysis – calculates average twitch parameters, calculates twitch statistics: baseline, peak, peak ht, peak %, peak ht%, max dX/dt, min dX/dt, T dX/dt max, T dX/dt min, T peak, T 10% rise, T 50% rise, T 90% rise, dT 10- 90%, T 90% fall, T 50% fall, T 10% fall, dT 90-10% |
| Export Analysis | Creates ASCII data files includes: time series, twitches, averages, statistics |