BASi
Bioanalytical System Inc.
BASi is a drug development firm providing contract research services and unique products for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries.
BASi Intracerebral Guide Cannula
Also visit the Brain Probes for Mice (PDF) page.
The role of the intracerebral guide is to target an implant site and support a microdialysis probe during in vivo sampling experiments in the brain. Guides are used for studies in awake, freely moving animals.
The guide is as long as the probe cannula. When a probe is placed inside, only the dialysis membrane extends beyond the end of the guide cannula. When the guide is implanted, it is placed just above the tissue that will eventually be sampled by microdialysis. After the animal recovers from the surgery (3-5 days), the edema will subside and ruptured blood vessels will have been sealed. Any glial cell formation will be restricted to the tissue disrupted by insertion of the guide and not the target site. Damage caused by insertion of the probe will be restricted to a small path that is the length and diameter of the dialysis membrane. This is considerably less trauma for the brain than the damage caused by drilling a hole in the skull, puncturing the dura, and then inserting the longer and wider intracerebral guide. In many cases, levels of targeted analytes will achieve steady state within a few hours. After sampling, the probe can be removed and reinserted at a later time.
The intracerebral guide cannula can be mounted directly onto the skull using stereotaxic surgical techniques. It can be held by the clamp assembly as shown on the drawing above (far left). The clamp assembly mounts on the clamp rod which is in turn mounted onto the micromanipulator of the stereotaxic frame.
Features
- Permits insertion and removal of a single BR brain microdialysis probe.
- The guide is positioned above the tissue that will be sampled by the probe and thus "targets" the site. The guide itself does not penetrate the tissue that is eventually sampled by the probe membrane.
- There is less damage to the brain once the probe is implanted: the tissue recovers faster, the microdialysis experiment begins sooner.
- The guide/probe pair are completely non-metallic.
- Includes a "lock" to secure probe yet allow for later removal.
- The probe is better protected from the animal.
- May be ETO sterilized.
- A special clamp assembly and clamp rod are required to attach the intracerebral guide to popular stereotaxic instruments such as the Kopf or ASI models.
Specifications
| Cannula | Inert, biocompatible plastic. |
| Stylet | Stainless steel. Removed when probe is inserted into guide. |
| Cannula Length | 10 mm |
| Lock | Rubber O-ring is standard. Optional steel collar available for active animals. |