What is a Ussing Chamber System?
A Physiologic Instruments Ussing Chamber System is a turnkey platform for measuring ion transport and barrier function across epithelial tissues or cell-culture monolayers. It combines our EasyMount™ Ussing chambers with the electronics, sensors, and utilities needed to run reproducible TEER/TER, short-circuit current (Iₛc), I–V, and flux/permeability assays.
An Ussing chamber is used to study solute transport across a confluent layer of cells. This layer is typically a monolayer of epithelial cells which form a barrier between the external and internal environments of the body such as those that line the airways, intestinal tract and bladder, but could also be a multilayered structure such as skin or 3D cell culture or a confluent layer of endothelial cells such as blood brain barrier in culture or corneal endothelium. Solute transport may be determined by measuring the flux of the solute or sometimes, in the case of charged solutes such as ions, by measuring the current across the tissue. These electrical parameters, together with tissue resistance, serve to assess ion transport and tissue integrity.
In order to accomplish these measurements Ussing systems have been designed to have three main components; namely, Ussing chamber, voltage/current clamp and data acquisition system.
1) The Ussing chamber is simply a device that enables one to place the tissue between two solution-filled compartments. The chamber may be fitted with electrodes for measuring voltage and passing current across the tissue.
2) The voltage current clamp is used to control either the voltage or the current across the epithelium and thereby determine bioelectrics such as transepithelial voltage, short-circuit current and resistance or conductance.
3) Results of the electrical measurements may be recorded using something as simple as a chart recorder or newer electronic versions of a chart recorder. Alternatively, it can be collected by an intelligent data acquisition system that acts as a chart recorder but also measures and plots tissue resistance or conductance in real time such as Acquire & Analyze.
Full featured Ussing systems that are comprised of our EasyMount Ussing Chamber system, multi-channel voltage current clamp instruments and Acquire & Analyze data acquisition package along with accessories to establish a nearly complete, working system. These systems are available in 2, 4, 6 and 8 channel versions based on one of three different Ussing chambers.
Our integrated Ussing chamber system platforms combine precision EasyMount chambers, multi-channel voltage/current clamps, and real-time data acquisition for high-fidelity Vte, Isc, Rte, and Gte measurements across cultured cells and tissues. Compare systems below; full included components are shown in the cards that follow.
| System | Primary Use | Chamber Model | Working Volume (per half) | Tissue / Holders | Channels | Options | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EM8-C Cell & Tissue |
General epithelial transport & barrier studies with flexible sample formats. | P2300 EasyMount | 2–7 mL (typ. 5 mL) | Interchangeable P23xx sliders for cell inserts and a range of animal/human tissues. | 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 | Base, CE, High Voltage (±35 V), CE + HV |
Includes Product |
| EM8-LV Low Volume |
Low net transport or assays requiring higher solute concentrations. | P2400 EasyMount (low volume) | 1.0–5.0 mL | Choice of holders; supports biopsies (intestinal/nasal), mouse pup intestine, cornea; up to 0.71 cm² (Ø 9.5 mm). | 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 | Base, CE, High Voltage (±35 V), CE + HV |
Includes Product |
| EM8-R Rat Tissue |
Specialized for rat intestinal tissue mounting and analysis. | P2250 EasyMount (rat) | 2.0–7.0 mL (typ. 5 mL) | P2252 slider with curved pins; 5 × 22 mm oblong aperture → 1.0 cm² tissue area. | 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 | Base, CE, High Voltage (±35 V), CE + HV |
Includes Product |
EasyMount mechanics and OptiGain clamp performance deliver stable Vte/Isc baselines, fast settling, and repeatable Rte/Gte calculations.
2–8 channel configurations support simultaneous studies while maintaining uniform temperature control, gas lift mixing, and electrode performance.
Swap sliders/holders to match tissue geometry and study design—from cell inserts to low-volume biopsies to dedicated rat tissue prep.
Measurements: TER/TEER (barrier integrity), Isc (active transport at ~0 mV), I–V curves, and solute flux/permeability (radiolabeled/fluorescent tracers).
Applications: GI, airway, renal, and skin epithelia; CFTR/ENaC studies; drug permeability and transporter function; inflammation and tight-junction research.
Chamber Sliders — choose apertures/holders for each Ussing chamber system.
Voltage/Current Clamps — multi-channel control for Vte, Isc, and Rte protocols.
Acquire & Analyze — real-time Rte/Gte, stimulus protocols, and export.
Electrodes & Accessories — Ag/AgCl electrodes, leads, air valves, gas wash bottles.
Talk to an applications specialist — get help matching a system to your assay.
EM8-C for versatile cell/tissue work, EM8-LV for low-volume or high-concentration assays, and EM8-R for rat intestinal tissue workflows.
Yes. With Acquire & Analyze, Rte and Gte are computed and plotted live alongside Vte and Isc.
Yes. Select sliders that match your tissue geometry and aperture target. For P2400 systems, sliders are purchased separately per chamber.
2–4 channels suit smaller labs and method development; 6–8 channels support higher throughput and parallel comparisons.
