Tweezertrodes are reusable, tweezer-style in vivo electrodes for drug
or gene delivery in animals. Tweezertrodes consist of a standard 11.5
cm tweezer that has been modified with stainless steel circular or disk
electrodes at the tip. The gap between the electrode disks may be adjusted
from under 1 mm to over 2 cm. Tweezertrodes come in two models. Model
520 has an electrode disk diameter of 7 mm and Model 522 has a diameter
of 10 mm. Tweezertrodes may be cleaned with a mild detergent and
sterilized with ethanol or ethylene oxide. These electrodes are
connected to a pulse generator with the Model 524 Connection Cable,
and are compatible with most BTX Electroporation System
Tweezertrodes may be used for many in vivo applications, including gene
and drug delivery. Following localized or systemic injection of the
molecule of interest, the Tweezertrode electrode disks are used to
grasp the tissue of interest. An electroporation pulse is then given,
initiating pore formation and incorporation of the molecule into the
cells of the tissue in direct contact with the electrode disks.
Suzuki et al. used Tweezertrodes to deliver a Green Fluorescent
Protein (GFP) gene into rat liver. The authors demonstrated successful
gene transfer and expression in situ.1,2 Saito and Nakatsuji used a
similar electrode to introduce plasmid DNA during ex-utero and in-utero
electroporation.7 Sato et al. used the Tweezertrode with the T820
to introduce EGFP expressing plasmid in mouse testis.8 Tweezertrodes
complement BTX Genetrode Models 508, 510, Caliper Electrode Models
384 and 384L, 2-Needle Array Models 530 and 532 as the newest
addition to our in vivo electrode line. The Tweezertrodes can be
used to reproduce applications requiring the caliper electrodes,
including gene therapy, transdermal drug delivery and electroporation therapy.3,4,5,6
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| Standard Capabilities |
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Voltage Range: |
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0V - 200V (Do not use AC current) |
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Pulse Length Range: |
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1 µsec - 200 msec |
| Physical Characteristics |
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Model 520 |
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|
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Tweezertrode Length: |
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11.5 cm |
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Electrode Diameter: |
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7 mm |
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Electrode Material: |
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Stainless steel |
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Model 522 |
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Tweezertrode Length: |
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11.5 cm |
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Electrode Diameter: |
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10 mm |
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Electrode Material: |
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Stainless steel |
| Generator Compatibility |
ECM T820, 630, 830, 2001 |
| System Model |
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Available Configurations |
| 520 |
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Tweezertrode 520
Tweezer Electrode with stainless steel plated 7 mm diameter electrode
disk for in vivo applications
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| 523 |
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Tweezertrode 523
Tweezer Electrode with stainless steel plated 10mm diameter electrode
disk for in vivo applications
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| |
| Accessory Model |
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Description |
| 524 |
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Tweezertrode Connection Cable
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- Suzuki et al., Direct Gene Transfer into Rat Liver Cells by in vivo Electroporation, FEBS Letters, 425: 436-440 (1998)
- BTX Electroporation Protocol PR0363 (1998)
- Zhang et al., In vivo transdermal delivery of large molecules by pressure-mediated electroincorporation and electroporation: a novel method for drug and gene delivery, Bioelectrochemistry and Bioenergetics, 42: 283-292 (1997)
- Dev, Giordano and Brown, In vivo delivery of gene to rabbit carotid artery by electroporation, Third U.S. / Japan Symposium on Drug Delivery Systems (Abstr.), 38 (1995)
- Dev, Killing cancer cells with a combination of pulsed electric fields and chemotherapeutic agents, Cancer Watch, 3: 12-14 (1994)
- BTX Electroporation Therapy Protocols ECT001-ECT005 (1995)
- Saito and Nakatsuji, Developmental Biology, 240: 237-246 (2001)
- Sato et al., Molecular Reproduction and Development, 61: 49-56 (2002)
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