Replaceable ground electrode for electrophysiology, electrode rejuvenating apparatus, and related methods and systems

12085,559

17/361860

June 29, 2021

A plenum assembly configured for electrophysiology assays, such as patch clamp techniques, includes one or more ground electrode assemblies. The ground electrode assemblies are individually removable from a plenum base of the plenum assembly in a non-destructive manner, and may be reinstalled in the plenum base in a manner that reestablishes electrical contact with ground circuitry without requiring soldering or other additional steps. A rejuvenating apparatus is provided for rejuvenating one or more ground electrode assemblies removed from the plenum base.

Molecular Devices, LLC (San Jose, CA, US)

Molecular Devices, LLC (San Jose, CA, US)

1. A method for rejuvenating a ground electrode assembly, the method comprising: removing the ground electrode assembly from a mounted position in a plenum base, wherein the ground electrode assembly comprises a housing and a porous electrode positioned in the housing, and at the mounted position the ground electrode assembly is in a mounting receptacle of the plenum base and the electrode is in electrical contact with a ground circuit in the mounting receptacle, and wherein removing the ground electrode assembly comprises moving the electrode out of electrical contact with the ground circuit in a non-destructive manner; threadably mating the ground electrode assembly with a vessel body defining an interior chamber, wherein the electrode is disposed proximate an outer surface of the vessel body and distal the interior chamber, and wherein the vessel body comprises a fluid port disposed opposite the electrode; connecting the fluid port to a pressure-applying device; immersing the ground electrode assembly in a rejuvenating fluid for a period of time; and activating the pressure-applying device to perfuse the rejuvenating fluid through the electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising, after immersing, mounting the ground electrode assembly in the mounting receptacle such that the electrode makes electrical contact with the ground circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises a top electrode surface, a bottom electrode surface, and an electrode thickness between the top electrode surface and the bottom electrode surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises a top electrode surface, a bottom electrode surface, and an electrode thickness between the top electrode surface and the bottom electrode surface, and wherein activating the pressure-applying device comprises applying a pressure differential across the electrode thickness to perfuse the rejuvenating fluid through the electrode thickness.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrode is positioned in the housing such that immersing the ground electrode assembly exposes at least a portion of the top electrode surface and at least a portion of the bottom electrode surface to the rejuvenating fluid.

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