Single controlled chamber
Study one mounted vessel segment at a time in a compact, precisely controlled wire myograph chamber.
Single Wire Myograph System – 320A
Single-channel wire myography for focused vessel reactivity studies
The DMT 320A is a single-chamber wire myograph for isometric force measurements in ring-mounted vessel preparations from 30 µm to 3 mm. It is suited for focused vascular reactivity, tone, contractility and pharmacology studies where one precisely controlled chamber is the right experimental format.
One chamber
Focused single-vessel experimentation.
30 µm to 3 mm
For small arteries and ring-shaped tissues.
Manual normalization
Direct micrometer control of vessel stretch.
1
precisely controlled chamber for focused studies
Why choose 320A
Compact, precise wire myography for one preparation at a time
The 320A is well positioned for focused vessel studies, method development, teaching, fluorescence-compatible observation and laboratories that need a compact entry point into wire myography.
Manual tension control
A precision micrometer provides direct manual control of vessel circumference and stretch during mounting and normalization.
Ring-mounted vessel studies
Designed for small arteries, veins and related smooth-muscle vessel preparations mounted on parallel stainless-steel wires.
Optical base window
The chamber base supports morphological observation or fluorescence measurements with a suitable inverted microscope.
Physiological chamber control
Heating, oxygenation, suction, refilling and solution exchange support stable ex vivo vessel studies.
Direct data output
The Wire Interface supports USB data communication, analogue outputs, calibration and compatible acquisition workflows.
System overview
Single-chamber wire myography with direct manual control
The vessel segment is mounted as a ring preparation by threading it over two parallel stainless-steel wires and securing the wires to two supports or jaws. One support is attached to a precision micrometer, while the other is attached to a force transducer.
During the experiment, vessel circumference is kept constant while contractility and reactivity are measured under isometric conditions. Compounds can be added directly to the chamber.
Single heated chamber
Compact acid-resistant stainless-steel chamber for one mounted
preparation.
Manual normalization
Determine the passive length-tension relationship after
mounting and equilibration.
Optical base window
Supports observation or fluorescence measurements with a
suitable inverted microscope.
Wire Interface pathway
Touchscreen setup, calibration support, USB communication and
analogue outputs.
Applications
Focused vascular reactivity and contractility studies
The 320A supports functional analysis of small vessels under controlled ex vivo conditions where the primary endpoint is force or tension generated by a ring-mounted preparation.
It is especially relevant for vessel tone, contraction, relaxation, dose-response protocols, passive mechanics and fluorescence-compatible observation workflows.
Hypertension
Atherosclerosis
Diabetes
Pre-eclampsia
Endothelial function
COPD and asthma
Pulmonary and airway research
01
Vascular reactivity
Measure contraction and relaxation responses to pharmacological or physiological stimuli.
02
Passive mechanics
Determine passive length-tension relationships after mounting and equilibration.
03
Method development and training
Use the compact single-channel format for protocol development, teaching and focused experiments.
04
Imaging-compatible observation
Use the optical base window for morphological or fluorescence measurements.
System components
Integrated hardware for focused vessel-force measurements
The 320A workflow combines a single wire myograph chamber, manual micrometer control, sensitive force measurement and the Wire Interface for heating, calibration and data communication.
Single wire myograph chamber
Supports one ring-mounted vessel preparation with manual stretch control, force measurement, oxygenation, solution exchange and optical observation.
Wire Interface
Provides touchscreen control of heating, force calibration, output configuration and direct digital or analogue data communication.
Technical data
Key 320A specifications
Core chamber, temperature, transducer and output specifications for planning a complete 320A installation.
The 320A uses manual normalization. Vessel dissection, mounting
quality, equilibration, wire size, chamber handling and consistent
normalization practice remain important for reproducible data.
Chamber
- Number of chambers
- 1
- Minimum chamber volume
- 4.2 ml
- Chamber material
- Acid-resistant stainless steel
- Vessel size
- >30 µm
- Preparation range
- 30 µm to 3 mm
- Normalization
- Manual
- Micrometer resolution
- 0.01 mm
- Mounting type
- Jaws
Temperature
- Temperature range
- 15.0 to 50.0 °C
- Temperature resolution
- 0.1 °C
- Temperature stability
- ±0.2 °C
- Heating
- Yes
Transducer
- Output reading
- mN
- Force range
- ±200 mN
- Force resolution
- 0.01 mN
- Force calibration
- Yes
Data output
- Data communication
- USB 2.0
- Analogue output channels
- 4
- Analogue output range
- ±2.5 V
Configuration guidance
Plan the complete 320A laboratory workflow
The correct 320A configuration depends on vessel type, wire size, microscope setup, acquisition requirements, stimulation needs and available laboratory infrastructure.
Core workflow items
Typical complete workflows include acquisition software, a compatible computer, dissection stereo microscope, light source, dissection tools, tungsten wire, heating bath or circulator, vacuum package and gas supply manifold.
Experiment-dependent options
Depending on protocol, additions can include an electronic valve for chamber drainage, field-stimulation electrodes, stimulator, pH electrode, pH meter and membrane-potential microelectrodes.
Service and training
For new users, teaching laboratories or multi-user environments, training, service agreements, spare force transducers and extended warranty can support long-term operation.
Related systems
Compare 320A with other DMT wire myographs
Choose the 320A when one controlled chamber is sufficient. Consider another platform when the workflow requires specialized imaging, paired chambers, greater throughput or automated normalization.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the 320A
What is the Single Wire Myograph System 320A used for?
The 320A is designed to measure isometric force in isolated blood vessels and ring-shaped tissue preparations. It's ideal for focused vascular reactivity, pharmacology, and physiology studies where a single, precisely controlled chamber is all that's needed.
What types of vessels can be studied with the 320A?
The 320A supports small arteries, veins, and other ring-mounted smooth muscle preparations ranging from approximately 30 µm to 3 mm in diameter. It is commonly used in cardiovascular, vascular biology, and smooth muscle research.
What measurements can the 320A perform?
The system measures isometric force, vascular contraction, relaxation, vessel tone, concentration-response relationships, and passive length-tension characteristics. It is designed for precise functional studies of isolated vessel segments under controlled laboratory conditions.
Can the 320A be used for vascular pharmacology and endothelial function studies?
Yes. The 320A is widely used to evaluate vascular reactivity, endothelial function, receptor pharmacology, and drug responses. It's an excellent platform for generating concentration-response curves and studying how blood vessels respond to physiological and pharmacological stimuli.
Why choose the 320A over a multi-channel wire myograph?
The 320A is ideal for researchers who need maximum control over a single vessel preparation. It's a great choice for method development, pilot studies, teaching laboratories, and research projects where throughput is less important than precision and simplicity.
What research applications is the 320A best suited for?
The 320A is commonly used in hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, vascular pharmacology, pulmonary research, and smooth muscle physiology. It is also well suited for protocol development and investigator training.
What's the difference between the 320A and the 420A Dual Wire Myograph?
The 320A is a single-channel system designed for one vessel at a time, making it ideal for focused studies and method development. The 420A features two independent chambers, allowing researchers to compare control and treatment groups simultaneously or run parallel experiments more efficiently.
Is the Single Wire Myograph System 320A the right system for my research?
The 320A is the right choice if you need a compact, high-precision wire myograph for single-vessel studies, teaching, pilot projects, or laboratories with lower sample throughput. If your research requires paired comparisons or higher throughput, consider the 420A or the Multi Myograph 620M.
Resources
320A resources and supporting pages
Use the product data sheet, software, wire-myograph comparison and support pages when evaluating, configuring or operating the 320A.
320A product data sheet
Product overview, applications and technical specifications.
→Wire myograph systems
Compare the 320A with other DMT wire-myograph platforms.
→MyoDAQ Acquisition
Data-acquisition software for DMT wire-myograph workflows.
→Software downloads
Find DMT installers, drivers and acquisition tools.
→Training and installation
Plan onboarding, training or installation support.
→System maintenance
Review maintenance and service options for DMT systems.
→Accessories and parts
Find supporting equipment for a complete 320A workflow.
→Ask DMT for advice
Discuss vessel type, wire size, imaging and configuration needs.
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