VasoTracker

Founding developer Calum Wilson

Accessories for VasoTracker

Founding developer Calum Wilson

Calum Wilson is a lecturer at the University of Strathclyde and also a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow working in the Vascular Imaging Group of John McCarron that develops innovative technologies at the University of Strathclyde. He is half engineer, half physiologist and interested in understanding how blood vessel function is regulated by mechanical forces. He builds specialised microscopes and experimental apparatus, and writes analysis software to serve as his tools.

The VasoTracker myograph is a flexible pressure myography system for research and teaching laboratories. The complete system has everything you need to experiment on pressurized blood vessels: A temperature monitor, a pressure monitor and a vessel chamber with micromanipulators that you can use with your lab's existing microscope/camera.

EXPERIMENTAL CAPABILITIES

The VasoTracker pressure myograph system allows you to assess the physiological function of small arteries, veins and other vessels.  With this myograph and the free blood vessel diameter tracking software, you can track blood vessel diameter responses to mechanical or pharmacological stimulation in real time. The VasoTracker system can also be used to investigate parameters like

  • Endothelial-dependent dilation
  • Smooth muscle cell contraction
  • Pressure-induced (myogenic) responses
  • Flow-mediated responses
  • Blood vessel morphology (e.g. wall thickness)

KEY FEATURES

  • A complete pressure myograph system for significantly less cost of commercial alternatives
  • Vessel chamber (with magnetic perfusion plumbing holders)
  • Wide field-of-view imaging with the recommended Thorlabs 1.6 MP CMOS Compact Scientific Cameras (use with blood vessels ranging from < 100 μm to ~1.5 mm diameter)
  • Ease of use with your own microscope or with the recommended inverted (Nikon Eclipse Ts2) or upright (AmScope T610D) microscope

CONTENTS OF THE SET

  • VasoTracker pressure Monitor
  • Vasotracker temperature monitor
  • Vasotracker blood vessel chamber 
  • Thorlabs mounting equipment including two xyz-stages

Not included:

Vasotracker system should function perfectly with a very wide range of cameras and microscopes.

FULFILLMENT

The lead-time for fulfillment of Vasotracker is approximately 4 weeks from the date of ordering.

PUBLICATION

Lawton PF, Lee MD, Saunter CD, Girkin JM, McCarron JG, Wilson C (2019). VasoTracker, a Low-Cost and Open Source Pressure Myograph System for Vascular Physiology. Frontiers

 

 Documentation Source Code


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