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. Performing a force-pCa experiment is a breeze with our automatically indexing bath plate. Pre-program calcium concentrations and activation/relaxation sequences and let the 1400A system do the rest.
Included is temperature controlled apparatus which includes XYZ micrometer stages with built-in mounts for our high-speed length controllers and force transducers. The bath controller features exclusive software with a programmable motion control sequencer for automated bath transfer of the fiber being studied. Also included are a high-speed length controller, precision force transducer, data acquisition hardware and our unique real-time Linux control and analysis software.
Our dedicated software includes a library of experimental protocols, simplifying the process and allowing easy measurement of both force and length. When combined with our optional HVSL/VSL sarcomere length measurement system the researcher can control and measure length, force, and sarcomere length. These advanced features allow researchers to completely characterize permeabilized fibers performing all of the standard tests including force-pCa, kTr, length-tension, force-velocity and stiffness.
The Aurora Scientific permeabilized fiber test system is manufactured using corrosion resistant materials and can easily mount on an inverted microscope for basic observation or more sophisticated imaging.

Variants
1405A Permeabilized/Intact Fiber System Variant:
All the features of our standard 1400A Permeabilized Fiber System with the addition of a large bath for measuring intact fibers. Baths 7 and 8 are combined to form a large intact bath which comes complete with: Platinum stimulation electrodes and perfusion fittings. Test both permeabilized and intact fibers with the same apparatus.
1410A Temperature Jump Variant:
Allows independent temperature control of baths. Bath 1 and 2 are controlled by one 825A TEC controller while baths 3 through 8 are controlled by a second 825A. This allows the researcher to perform temperature jump experimental protocols.
Stories of Success
1400A – Durable System Helps Researcher Study Thousands of Fibers
CHALLENGE
In 2004, Dr. Hans Degens was studying changes in skeletal muscle function and morphology. Dr. Degens was looking to use permeabilized fibers as his test samples as they represent a pure system for studying cross bridge mechanics without bias and artifacts. Dr. Degens was familiar with the experimental methodology of using skinned fibers but lacked the resources to build a system from scratch that could handle the higher throughput demands of testing human samples.
SOLUTION
Aurora Scientific had recently released the 1400A system. This system featured an automatically indexing chamber enabling maximization of fiber throughput. The design also eliminated any manual bath movement, commonly found in designs at the time, thereby protecting the sensitive transducer from breakage. Dr. Degens’ system was also the first to feature peltier driven temperature control allowing for extremely stable and precise bath temperatures, critical to these measurements. The powerful 600A digital controller has allowed for nearly every experimental protocol conceived to be executed by the instruments themselves.
RESULTS
The system has been in nearly constant use in Dr. Degens’ lab for the last 11 years and has helped him collect data required for many influential and fascinating studies in exercise physiology, comparative biology and cardiovascular health, amongst countless others. This initial partnership with Aurora Scientific has led to other projects in whole muscle physiology as well.
Select References
- Lim and Frontera. “Single skeletal muscle fiber mechanical properties: a muscle quality biomarker of human aging” European Journal of Applied Physiology (2022) DOI: 10.1007/s00421-022-04924-4
- Beard et al. “Reduced cardiac muscle power with low ATP simulating heart failure” Biophysical Journal (2022) DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.07.029
- Rode et al. “Myosin filament sliding through the Z-disc relates striated muscle fibre structure to function” Proceedings of the Royal Society B (2016) DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.3030
- Shimkunas, Rafael, et al. “Myofilament dysfunction contributes to impaired myocardial contraction in the infarct border zone.” Myofilament dysfunction contributes to impaired myocardial contraction in the infarct border zone. (2014) DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00463.2014
- Witteveen et al. “Muscle weakness in a S. pneumoniae sepsis mouse model” Annals of Translational Medicine (2019) DOI: 10.21037/atm.2018.12.45
- Kohn, Tertius A. and Timothy D. Noakes “Lion (Panthera leo) and caracal (Caracal caracal) type IIx single muscle fibre force and power exceed that of trained humans.” The Journal of Experimental Biology (2013) DOI: 10.1242/jeb.078485
- Choi, Seung Jun et al. “Force-Generation Capacity of Single Vastus Lateralis Muscle Fibers and Physical Function Decline With Age in African Green Vervet Monkeys.” Journal of Gerontology Series: A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences (2013) DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gls143
- Ochala, Julien and Lars Larsson “Effects of a preferential myosin loss on Ca2+ activation of force generation in single human skeletal muscle fibres.” Experimental Physiology (2008) DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2007.041798
- Prondzynski et al. “Disease modeling of a mutation in α-actinin 2 guides clinical therapy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy” EMBO Molecular Medicine (2019) DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201911115
- Klaiman, Jordan M. “Cold acclimation increases cardiac myofilament function and ventricular pressure generation in trout.” The Journal of Experimental Biology (2014) DOI: 10.1242/jeb.109041
- Lee, Eun-Jeong, et al. “Calcium sensitivity and myofilament lattice structure in titin N2B KO mice.” Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics (2013) DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2012.12.004
- Stoehr, Andrea, et al. “Automated analysis of contractile force and Ca2+ transients in engineered heart tissue.” American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology (2014) DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00705.2013
- Gumucio et al. “Anterior cruciate ligament tear induces a sustained loss of muscle fiber force production” Muscle & Nerve (2018) DOI: 10.1002/mus.26075
- Gineste, Charlotte, et al. “Alterations at the Cross-Bridge Level Are Associated with a Paradoxical Gain of Muscle Function In Vivo in a Mouse Model of Nemaline Myopathy.” PLoS ONE (2014) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109066
- Bezold, Kristina L. et al. “A gain-of-function mutation in the M-domain of cardiac myosin-binding protein-C increases binding to actin.” Journal of Biological Chemistry (2013) DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M113.474346
System Components
804A: Permeabilized Fiber ATPase Apparatus
The 804A ATPase apparatus was designed to enable physiology researchers to measure consumption of ATP along with contractile force and length changes of permeabilized fibers. The 804A works in conjunction with an Aurora Scientific model 315D or 322D high-speed length controller and an Aurora 400C series force transducer.
Learn More802D: Permeabilized Fiber Apparatus – Microscope Mountable
A multi-well automated test system for quick and accurate measurement of permeabilized fiber dynamics
Learn More400B: Force Transducers
The 400C series of force transducers is the next generation of our widely used 400A series.
Learn More400C: Force Transducers
The 400C series of force transducers is the next generation of our widely used 400A and 400B series. The 400C series enables contractile measurements from a variety of muscle types and sizes and are designed to meet the needs of muscle researchers.
Learn More315D/322D: High-Speed Length Controllers
The 315D/322D High-Speed Length Controllers give physiologists the ability to control and measure length of single cells, fibers and whole muscle with ease.
Learn More600A: Real-Time Muscle Data Acquisition and Analysis System
The 600A Digital Controller serves to integrate components and provide the researcher control of system operations, data collection and signal analysis.
Learn More
608C: LCD Monitor
A 22” widescreen LCD monitor providing high quality visualization of data collection
Resources
Parts & Accessories
Model # | 1400A |
---|---|
900B | Video Sarcomere Length (VSL) measurement system includes camera and VSL software that integrates with the 600A Digital Controller. The included USB camera operates at a frame rate of 80 frames per second (FPS) for full frames and up to a maximum of 1000 FPS for reduced frame sizes. The camera mounts via a C-mount adapter (not provided). |
901B | High-Speed Video Sarcomere Length (HVSL) measurement system includes camera and HVSL software that integrates with the 600A Digital Controller. The included Gigabit Ethernet camera operates at a frame rate of 300 frames per second (FPS) for full frames and up to a maximum of 4700 FPS for reduced frame sizes. The camera mounts via a C-mount adapter (not provided). |
902A | Simple laser diffraction instrument consisting of a laser diode assembly and a SL target assembly. The laser diode mounts to a microscope port via a C-mount adapter (not provided). The SL target assembly mounts to the apparatus. The laser shines through an empty objective port on the microscope turret and passes through the tissue. The sarcomeres in the tissue diffract the laser and form a diffraction pattern on the SL target thus indicating the Sarcomere Length. The desired spacing is set visually and no recording is made. |
830A | Half-rack adapter that allows half-rack instruments to be mounted in standard 19” racking. Works with models: 200B, 315C/322C, 400A series, 701C and 825A. |
831A | Heavy gauge, steel desktop or shelf-top rack, with standard 19” width for any Aurora Scientific Instruments. Available in various heights. (6U high for 1200A and 1300A, 5U high for 1400A, 1500A and 1600A systems). |