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Electric field stimulation units designed to apply controlled electric fields to cells and/or tissue cultures. This equipment usually consists of an electric source with one or more outputs that generates and controls the wave form, intensity, and frequency of the pulse signals applied to the cells and tissue cultures grown in appropriate dishes or trays. The units include detachable cords with electrodes at the distal end placed on the culture dishes. When the electric field is applied to the tissues the cells are under the same stress as that of the living tissues under similar conditions (e.g., the native heart). The cells and tissue response to the stress and/or to the influence of added substances (e.g., drugs) can be determined. Electric field tissue culture stimulation is mainly used for the study of the response of cardiac myocytes following established software protocols (e.g., cardiac arrhythmia, physical exercise) but they are also used in studies of other electrically excitable cells.
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