Fast local superfusion technique

A system for rapid, local superfusion of cultured neurones and their neurites with various different test drugs is elucidated. An area of down to 30 mu m diameter was superfused with the aid of two micropipettes, one for delivering the test solution and the other for its removal. Active removal of solution within the deadspace of the delivery pipette guarantees, on the one hand, fast and flexible pressure control and, on the other, enables the quick exchange (<1 s) of multiple solutions. By increasing the pressure in the superfusion pipette, the laminar stream between the pipettes was forced down onto the cell layer. The change from bath to superfusion solutions, evaluated by liquid junction potential changes, occurs in the order of 1 ms.