Thermal Gradient Ring (TGR) 2.0

Name: Thermal Gradient Ring (TGR) 2.0
Brand: Ugo Basile
SKU: 35530

Product Code:35530

Category: Pain and Inflammation

The TGR can clearly discriminates temperature-dependent phenotypes or temperature dependent drug effects.

It records and analyses thermal preference/avoidance in mice. For neuropathic pain studies, peripheral neuropathy, temperature sensitivity and insensitivity assessment in basic research, phenotyping and drug screening.

The animal is freely moving, its position is tracked by a camera, and no user intervention is required to gather time spent in each temperature zone (12 zones in duplicate) and many other parameters, like the preferred temperature zone.

In the TGR mice can freely move around the ring floor, thereby avoiding the stereotypical habit that mice have of staying in a corner, as occurs in rectangular systems.

It is a cost effective and bias-free tool to obtain reproducible data in a very broad range of thermal stimulation experiments.

The new version is designed to use also cabled animals for optogenics, electrophysiology and other techniques which require the use of wires.

Model

System Component 1

Optional

35580-US — Thermal conditioned cabinet, for USA 220/240 Volt US plug

35580-EU — Thermal conditioned cabinet, for Europe 220/240 Volt EU plug

35530-UBC12 — Additional hardware warranty extension 12 months for TGR

35530-UBC-24 — Additional hardware warranty extension 24 months for TGR

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Detailed description +-

Background

The cellular and molecular mechanisms of temperature sensing receptors (e.g. transient receptor, TRP, channels) and thermoregulation are the subject of intensive studies in neuropathic pain, peripheral neuropathy and temperature preference in general.
The novel circular thermal gradient assay opens new opportunities for thermal preference and avoidance and addresses limitations imposed by classic linear equipment (lack of animal freedom, limited thermal choice, inability to make discerning exploratory behaviour, experimental biases).
The TGR is based on the paper "Comprehensive thermal Preference Phenotyping in Mice using a Novel Automated Circular Gradient Assay”
The TGR can clearly discriminate temperature-dependent phenotypes or drug effects and its advantages over other techniques (i.e. linear corridors, two-choice temperature preference) are well described in the 2024 paper "Thermal gradient ring for analysis of temperature-dependent behaviors involving TRP channels in mice" (T. Ujisawa, J. Lei, M. Kashio, M. Tominaga, 2024, The Journal of Physiological Sciences)

Novel device, bias-free data, cost effective

The Thermal Gradient Ring has a 45 cm inner diameter, 57 cm outer diameter, and 24 cm height.
A camera is located on the upper side of the apparatus, which includes an infrared camera and an infrared transmissive inner wall.
In the TGR mice can freely move around the ring floor, thereby avoiding the stereotypical habit that mice have of staying in a corner, as occurs in rectangular systems.
The behavioral data is obtained by video-tracking and can be videotaped to then let the software automatically analyse the “spent time”, “travel distance” or “speed”.
A “preference temperature” can be defined as the mean value using the zone temperature and “spent time” and the % of time spent above this temperature will be automatically calculated.

Measurement Parameters analysed

Thermal zone occupancy: % of time spent in a zone.
Zone entries: number of entries in each zone
Preference temperature: calculated as the weighted preferred temperature
A “preference temperature” can be defined as the mean value using the zone temperature and “spent time” and the % of time spent above this temperature will be automatically calculated.
Cumulative distance: calculation of the cumulative distance per zone or per the whole apparatus
Coordinates of location within the Ring: Can be used to visualize mouse behaviour in the ring with Heat Maps

Now also for cabled animals

The new TGR design keeps all its previous benefits while also allows the utilization of cabled animals for optogenetics or electrophysiology

Features & Benefits +-

Features	Benefits
New circular design, internal diameter 45cm, outer diameter 57cm	Duplicate values, no border effects, no spatial cues
New design which includes swivel support and has no obstruction for animal mounted wires	Allows for utilization of techniques that required cabled animals, such as optogenetics, electrophysiology and others
Thermal Insulated Ring-shaped Aluminum Runway	More sensitive than previous methods: bias-free, reproducible data
Heater and cooler on opposite sides, to establish a symmetric gradient	Gradient setup superior to two-plate choice design
12 zones per side (specular), 40cm² each	Temperature Δ proportionally divided into 12 (in the method paper 15°C-40°C = 2.27°C per zone)
4 thermocouples embedded in the thermal gradient ring	The exact temperature gradient measured in real time
CCD-camera (included in the standard package, with its dedicated support) and ANYmaze video-tracking software	Behavior recorded automatically during 60 minutes
The system includes a set of 4 dual (visible/I.R.) lights	Ideal for videotracking: perfect view even in the dark
Control ambient temperature	Improve temperature accuracy avoiding laboratory temperature oscillations

Specifications +-

General
Controls	Commands on the heater/cooler front panel
Preset Temperature Read-out	On LCD display on the front panel of the thermal units
Detection	Via ANY-Maze specific protocol for TGR through integrated USB camera
Sound emission	68 dB
Power requirements	Universal input 85-264 VAC, 50-60Hz, 400W max
Communication interface	Integrated 4 ports USB hub
Operation
Temperature Range	Heating Plate: from 20°C to 65°C Heating/cooling Plate: from 4°C to 65°C
Precision	1°C
Temperature feedback	By 4 thermocouples monitored in real time by ANYmaze
Light Intensity (I.R.)	Set by potentiometer with graded scale
Light Intensity (visible)	Set by potentiometer with graded scale
Physical
Internal diameter	45 cm
Outer diameter	57,5 cm
Corridor Width	6 cm
Wall Height standard	15 cm
Wall Height optional	25 cm
Dimensions	76x60x60(h)cm
Weight	49.5 Kg
Shipping Weight	69.5 Kg
Packing Dimensions	120x80x70(h)cm (wooden fireproof crate with pallet)
Warranty
Warranty	35550 is covered by a 12-months warranty + 12 months after product registration
UB-Care	Additional UB-Care can be added for other 12 or 24 months

Application +-

"Currently available behavioral assays to quantify normal temperature sensitivity, hypersensitivity, hyperalgesia and temperature preference/avoidance in mice have created conflicting results in the literature.

Some only capture a limited spectrum of thermal experiences, others are prone to experimenter bias or are not sensitive enough to detect the contribution of ion channels to temperature sensing because in mice smaller alterations in temperature preference may not manifest as explicit behavioral changes or may be masked by confounding factors and require high sensitivity.

To overcome current limitations, we have designed a novel device that is automated, provides a high degree of freedom, i.e. thermal choice, and eliminates experimenter bias. The device represents a thermal gradient assay designed as a circular running track. It allows discerning exploratory behavior from thermal selection behavior and provides increased accuracy by providing measured values in duplicate and by removing edge artifacts.

The assay delivers discrete information on a large range of parameters extracted from the occupancy of thermally defined zones such as preference temperature and skew of the distribution.

We demonstrate that the assay allows increasingly accurate phenotyping of thermal sensitivity in transgenic mice by disclosing yet unrecognized details on the phenotypes of TRPM8-, TRPA1- and TRPM8/A1-deficient mice." From "Comprehensive thermal preference phenotyping in mice using a novel automated circular gradient assay (Touska et al. 2016)"

Other scientists, like the M. Tominaga team in Japan, the R. Russo in Naples and the Tegeder team in Germany showed applications in Parkinson’s disease and chronic pain, TRP knock-out mice behaviors and testing of molecule candidates to interact with TRP receptors, which have been shown to be a valuable pharmacological option several therapeutic areas.

The paper "Thermal gradient ring for analysis of temperature-dependent behaviors involving TRP channels in mice", pubblished in 2024, describes the TGR method and compares its benefits to current methods for temperature preference and avoidance studies.

Ordering informations +-

35530 Thermal Gradient Ring 2.0
35530	Set-up for Thermal Gradient Ring (Zimmermann's method), including heating and cooling elements, circular corridor with low maze walls (15cm), thermal probes, USB camera, ready for tethered and non-tethered mice. ANY-maze software not included (required) available in TGR limited version or full version.
Software (REQUIRED choose one)
60000-TG	ANY-maze software, TGR-specific limited version (THERMAL GRADIENT RING TEST ONLY)
60000	ANY-Maze software, full license (use for Thermal Gradient Ring and all the other ANY-Maze behavioral test)
Optional
35580-US	Thermal conditioned cabinet ready to hold 2 TGR devices (for USA 220/240 Volt US plug). Temperature range from -10 up to 100 °C
35580-EU	Thermal conditioned cabinet ready to hold 2 TGR devices (for Europe 220/240 Volt EU plug). Temperature range from -10 up to 100 °C
35530-003	Thermal Gradient ring high maze walls (25cm)
Warranty
Warranty	35530 is covered by a 12-months warranty + 12 months after product registration
35530-UBC12	UB Care 12 Additional hardware warranty extension 12 months for TGR (Valid for SKU 35530)
35530-UBC24	UB Care 12 Additional hardware warranty extension 24 months for TGR (Valid for SKU 35530)