Patent ID: 7148059

Claim:
Apparatus for pacing a myocyte culture contained in a plurality of wells of a multi-well culture dish comprising: a) a base unit for receiving the culture dish; b) an electrode unit for placement atop the culture dish and having a central opening, said electrode unit having a plurality of first conductive electrodes made from a chemically and biologically inert material disposed on a first edge of the opening and a plurality of second conductive electrodes made from a chemically and biologically inert material disposed on a second edge of the opening opposite the plurality of first electrodes, the electrodes being adapted for extending into each well of the culture dish, one of the plurality of first electrodes being disposed at one end of each well with one of the plurality of second electrodes being disposed at the opposite end of each well, each of said electrodes being substantially planar and extending across the width of the well; c) an electrical connector for connection to external apparatus for providing a stream of electrical pulses to provide pacing to the myocyte culture; and d) means for electrically connecting each of the first and second electrodes to the electrical connector; wherein the means for electrically connecting each of the plurality of first conductive electrodes and the plurality of second conductive electrodes to the electrical connector comprise a printed circuit board disposed in the electrode unit upon which the first and second plurality of electrodes are mounted; and further wherein the printed circuit board disposed in the electrode unit is sealed there within by means of a biologically inert compound.