Designed for use with inhalation anesthetics like isoflurane, the new patent-pending animal stand is designed to simplify and improve in vivo small animal ocular imaging

BEND, Ore., May 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Phoenix-Micron, Inc. ("Phoenix"), recognized globally for its leadership in in vivo ophthalmic imaging of small animals, today announced the MICRON Animal Stand - Pro. For the first time, inhalation anesthetic delivery is integrated into an animal stand specifically designed for ophthalmic imaging. The new, patent-pending, design is plumbed for anesthesia delivery and venting, includes the WhiskerWipes™ animal mask, and supports integrated animal heating.

For small animal, in vivo ophthalmic research, both isoflurane and ketamine-xylazine are commonly used forms of anesthesia, each with specific impacts on physiological responses and experimental outcomes. Up to now, when researchers choose inhalation anesthetics like isoflurane, they are often faced with managing cumbersome tubing, awkward animal face masks, and attachments that interfere with proper presentation of the animal to the MICRON camera, reducing imaging throughput or impeding quality image capture.

For the first time, inhalation anesthetic delivery is integrated into an animal stand specifically designed for ophthalmic imaging. With the MICRON Animal Stand - Pro:

• Inhalation anesthetic supply and venting connections are easily accessible on the base of the animal stand, away from the animal's eyes and the objective lens.
  
  
• The WhiskerWipes™Animal Mask is a replaceable animal anesthesia mask, with separate sizes for mice and rats. It snaps in place on the animal platform to connect with integrated inhalation anesthesia delivery and venting, enabling sustained animal sedation.
  
  
• The carefully designed mask allows for optimal presentation of the subject's left and right eyes to the camera.
  
  
• The WhiskerWipes™ arms on the Animal Mask hold subject animal whiskers away from the objective lens, simplifying the imaging process and minimizing artifacts.
  
  
• The soft, snug-fitting masks are made of non-allergenic, biocompatible materials that are both washable and can be easily replaced to comply with laboratory infection control requirements.
  
  
• And, where applicable, it is now easier for researchers to comply with Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines.

"Our customers often tell us they're tired of using surgical tape to attach rodent anesthesia masks to an animal stand, and express frustration with anesthesia tubing bumping into the camera," said J. Scott Carr, CEO, Phoenix-Micron, Inc.. "One of our key values is to listen, learn, and innovate products that delight our customers. Today, we are excited to bring integrated anesthesia delivery and animal heating to our micro-adjustable animal stand product line to improve preclinical ophthalmic imaging where inhalation anesthetics are used."

In addition, a redesigned animal heater is built into the MICRON Animal Stand - Pro to maintain optimum subject animal body temperature for long imaging sessions and electrophysiology observations:

• The easily-cleaned aluminum animal platform becomes the heater, eliminating the need for an additional component placed on top of the animal stand.
  
  
• The optional heater cartridge inserts into the washable aluminum animal platform to generate evenly distributed heat.
  
  
• Sensors allow MICRON Software Suite to control and document the maximum and minimum platform temperatures (an independent mechanical controller is available for non-MICRON Software Suite users).
  
  
• Wiring is routed through the inside of the animal stand to keep the space around the animal eyes and the MICRON camera free of wire clutter.
  
  
• The animal stand is pre-wired to add additional biosensors to the platform over time.

Both the Animal Stand - Pro and the existing Animal Stand - Standard make it is easy to present the subject animal to the camera to image retinal, corneal, and external structures of the eye, allowing for micro adjustments to animal stand height and to the tilt of the platform, and the ability to move the animal through the horizontal plane.

Users that exclusively use intraperitoneal injections for sedation and do not have a need for an animal heater during imaging can opt for the MICRON Animal Stand - Standard. This micron-adjustable animal stand has been used at hundreds of research labs for quality ophthalmic imaging, and will continue to be available as an option.

The MICRON Animal Stand - Pro will be on display at ARVO 2024, and is immediately available to order, with first units expected to ship in August, 2024.

Media Contact

Jennifer King, Phoenix-Micron, Inc., 1 408-234-3687, jen.king@phoenixmicron.com, www.phoenixmicron.com

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SOURCE Phoenix-Micron, Inc.