Syringe mounting apparatus including: a body ; a coupling mechanism on the body having a housing to receive a barrel of a syringe component , the barrel having a longitudinal axis, the housing mounted for being moved axially onto and about the end of the barrel , and the coupling mechanism further having a mechanism configured to detachably engage the barrel and thereby interchangeably retain the syringe component as the housing is so moved; and a plunger connector having an axis, the plunger connector being receivable in a concentric cavity in the housing for operably detachably coupling a plunger driver to a plunger element carried in the barrel of a syringe component when the syringe component is interchangeably retained by the coupling mechanism, wherein in use the plunger connector is moved axially onto the end of the plunger element until it detachably engages the plunger element in a manner allowing the plunger driver to thereafter effect reciprocatory movement of the plunger element longitudinally of the barrel for drawing fluid into or expelling fluid from the syringe component , characterised in that the coupling mechanism comprises balls lockable into a protruding position by a slide member that is movable transversely to the longitudinal barrel axis between an inactive position and an active position in which a shoulder on the slide member underlies the lower rim of a ring at one side and prevents it from sliding against a spring , the active and the inactive positions of the slide member being indexed by respective pairs of magnets (38a, 39a; 38b, 39b) in the upper surface of the slide member and in an opposing surface of the housing . a body ; a coupling mechanism on the body having a housing to receive a barrel of a syringe component , the barrel having a longitudinal axis, the housing mounted for being moved axially onto and about the end of the barrel , and the coupling mechanism further having a mechanism configured to detachably engage the barrel and thereby interchangeably retain the syringe component as the housing is so moved; and a plunger connector having an axis, the plunger connector being receivable in a concentric cavity in the housing for operably detachably coupling a plunger driver to a plunger element carried in the barrel of a syringe component when the syringe component is interchangeably retained by the coupling mechanism, wherein in use the plunger connector is moved axially onto the end of the plunger element until it detachably engages the plunger element in a manner allowing the plunger driver to thereafter effect reciprocatory movement of the plunger element longitudinally of the barrel for drawing fluid into or expelling fluid from the syringe component , characterised in that the coupling mechanism comprises balls lockable into a protruding position by a slide member that is movable transversely to the longitudinal barrel axis between an inactive position and an active position in which a shoulder on the slide member underlies the lower rim of a ring at one side and prevents it from sliding against a spring , the active and the inactive positions of the slide member being indexed by respective pairs of magnets (38a, 39a; 38b, 39b) in the upper surface of the slide member and in an opposing surface of the housing . <EOS>