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The DGC
is designed to establish multiple diffusion gradients of small soluble molecules
within a semi solid gel. It is a useful tool for isolating microorganisms
and studying microbial growth and behavior under environmentally relevant
conditions It also has potential application in cell culture.
The complete DGC System consists of:
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Three Diffusion Gradient Chambers
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Main Chamber (arena and 4 reservoir openings)
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Four Reservoirs (for resevoir openings that are held in place by thumb screws)
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Top And bottom plate
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One Effluent Chamber
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One Transilluminator (light box)
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One Imaging platform
Description
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Complete System
Includes 12 gaskets, 36 PC membranes, 6 silicone seals and 3 diffusion
gradient chambers
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Diffusion gradient chamber
(4 gaskets, 12 PC membranes, 2 silicone seals) |
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| Effluent chamber |
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| High temperature gasket (one
dozen) |
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| PC membrane (72 pieces) |
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| Silicone seal (one dozen) |
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| Screw nut (each) |
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| Transilluminator |
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| Imaging platform |
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The Diffusion Gradient Chamber System (DGC) is
a unique tool that allows multiple, continuous diffusion gradients to be
established within a semi-solid gel. Microorganisms or cell cultures are
inoculated onto, or within the gel and their macroscopic growth patterns
and response to the gradients can be monitored using a ccd video camera coupled
with a computer. This allows automated data gathering and sophisticated
image analysis capabilities of the acquired images.
Another possible use for the DGC in the pharmaceutical industry is for testing
the efficacy of antimicrobial compounds, and especially for investigating
the synergistic effects of combinations of antimicrobials, since true
2-dimensional ( and even 3-dimensional) gradients can be maintained continuously.
For example, a lawn of bacteria growing on the surface of the
DGC could be exposed to the intersecting gradients of two antibiotics.
Analysis of the resulting pattern of growth inhibition, coupled with
computer modeling of the actual antibiotic concentrations, will provide precise
information about synergistic inhibitory actions of the tow antibiotics over
a wide range of concentrations.
For more information on the Diffusion Gradient
Chamber System, please refer to the article by David Emerson, et al., in
Applied and Environmental Microbiology (April 1994), Vol. 60
(4), pp. 1269-1278.
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