MECA4 – All-in-one 4 channel bilayer measurement chamber

The MECA4 recording chip is a ready-to-use measurement chamber with 4 microelectrode cavities (MECs) and an embedded counter electrode. Bilayers can be manually painted over each individual microcavity to give you the highest flexibility in experimental design. The MECA4 has been validated with a number of different ion channels including KcsA, Kv1.3, Nav and bacterial toxins e.g. AL, HL.

MECAopto-inv - For simultaneous optical and electrical recordings

The MECAopto-inv recording chip features a four channel bilayer measurement setup for simultaneous optical and electrical readout within an inverted microscope setup. The MECAopto-inv offers four microelectrode cavities (MECs) with individual ring-shaped Ag/AgCl-microelectrodes on a just 200µm thin glass slide as well as a common ground electrode in one measurement chamber. Four suspended lipid bilayers can be manually painted on the chip surface over the MECs. The ring shape of the electrodes creates an optical window allowing access with an oil or water-immersion objective on an inverted microscope. This enables fluorescence measurements from one of the four bilayers at a time. The MECAopto-inv is designed to be compatible with a broad range of available microscopic objectives.

Orbit mini - World's only 'hand-held' 4-channel bilayer setup

At the size of a smartphone the Orbit mini from Nanion is the perfect match for Ionera’s MECA4 chips. It includes a temperature control (4°C to 50°C) and 4 single channel amplifiers with 200kHz sampling rate. The Orbit mini is connected via USB to a laptop computer and comes with all the software required for Windows systems as well as Mac OS.

Watch how to perform an experiment on the Orbit mini in just 5 minutes here or read a narrative by Chris Miller, Brandeis University, on his first experiments with the Orbit mini.

MECA16 – 4x4 Micro Electrode Cavity Array

The MECA16 recording chip contains a 4 x 4 array of circular microcavities in a highly inert polymer. An individually addressable Ag/AgCl microelectrode is placed on the bottom of each cavity. Lipid bilayers are automatically formed over each microcavity by remotely actuated painting (using the patented Ionera-SPREAD technology). The MECA-chip has been validated with a number of different ion channels including KcsA, gramicidin, alamethicin, OmpF, MspA etc.

Ionera's MECA16 powers Nanion's Orbit 16

Together with our partners read out devices, like the Orbit 16 from Nanion, are developed. The Orbit 16 enables fast and successful data generation thanks to the rapid formation of 16 stable bilayers and the parallel recordings. Most commercially available amplifiers are compatible with the Orbit 16, including the 16-channel Triton amplifier from Tecella. For single channel amplifiers like the EPC‑10 or Axopatch 200B, the Orbit has a built-in multiplexer switchboard, allowing for recordings from the individual bilayers by automatically switching through the recording sites.

EasyRecon Prot X – Reconstitution kit

EasyRecon reconstitution kits are tailor-made for membrane transport proteins. They are designed to get the most out of your bilayer measurements. EasyRecon kits are optimized to be used with MECA chips regarding the automated bilayer formation and reconstitution protocols. For membrane proteins which are presently not included in our standard application catalogue, Ionera offers assay development at a fair price.