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REMS AutoSampler is an automated TEER measurement system that uses a robotic arm to make measurements in 24- and 96-well plates. This article details how to upgrade the software for a REMS system.

Considerations Before You Begin

The first consideration is the hardware in your REMS system and the software version you are running.

Systems Older than 2014

• If your system was purchased before 2014, the REMS will have a PCI6023 data card, and you may only upgrade to the REMS4 software. See below for instructions on verifying your software version.
• To upgrade to the current version of the REMS software (REMS6.02), a unit purchase before 2014 will need a PCI6220 data card. You may purchase the upgrade kit (WPI# 300555), which includes the board/data card (for example, NI PCI6220), a new interface cable and software version 6.0.2.

In addition, you need a newer computer with free PCI slot. WPI’s current REMS computer...more

Automated measurement of tissue resistance in cell culture microplates provides the important advantages of speed, precision, decreased opportunity for contamination and the instant availability of measured resistance data on a computer. These measurements are useful in applications such as drug bioavailability studies and studies on the mechanisms of drug transport.

The main components of the REMS AutoSampler include:

• Robotic sampler that moves the electrode over each well of the microplate
• Electrode which is located on the robotic arm
• Base plate for the 24-and 96-well tray
• Windows-based data acquisition card
• REMS interface unit
• REMS software to operate the system on a Windows-based computer

The REMS AutoSampler automates TEER measurements previously made with WPI's EVOM2 Epithelial Voltohmmeter. Automated tissue resistance measurements up to 20kΩ can be performed on 24- or 96-well HTS microplates. Microplates presently supported include the Corning Costar HTS Transwell-24, Falcon HTS Multiwell insert systems, and Millipore Multiscreen™ CaCo 96-well plate. The REMS AutoSampler is designed to facilitate integration with other robotic systems. Special locating bars are installed on the REMS base platform that allow other system robots to place an HTS tray into a precise location on the REMS base.

The REMS AutoSampler automatically measures and records tissue resistance from a user-specified matrix of culture wells on the microplate. According to the specified sequence, the robotic arm moves over the identified wells taking TEER measurements. By means of a x-y-z locating system, the electrode-containing arm is positioned precisely and reproducibly over each well. The ability of the REMS AutoSampler to reproducibly and precisely locate the electrode results in highly reproducible TEER measurements. TEER measurements are stored in the computer as the electrode moves from one well to the next. The Windows-based software provides user-friendly features to acquire, display and store the tissue resistance measurements.

The REMS electrode is compact and robust in design. Each of two rod-shaped probes, 1.5mm in diameter, consists of a pair of electrodes: one electrode for injecting current and the other for measuring the voltage. The use of two pairs of electrodes eliminates the error caused by the electrode-liquid interface. To take a measurement, the robot inserts one probe into the center of the filter well and the other into the opening slot of the 24- or 96-well plate. The use of AC current to measure resistance provides several advantages over DC current, including:

• Absence of offset voltages on measurements
• There is a zero net current being passed through the membrane, and therefore it is not adversely affected by a current charge
• No electrochemical deposition of electrode metal.

The REMS AutoSampler also features a rinse and calibration check station. If occasional rinsing of the REMS electrode is required, it maybe sent to a rinse...more

What is REMS?

The REMS AutoSampler automates measurements of electrical resistance of transepithelial, transendothelial or Caco-2 cell membranes being grown to confluence on microporous filters of high throughput screening (HTS) 24- and 96-well microplates. It is a PC-controlled, tissue resistance measurement system that offers reproducibility, accuracy and flexibility for this kind of measurement. The ability of the REMS AutoSampler to precisely locate the electrode results in highly reproducible TEER measurements. TEER measurements are stored in the computer as the electrode moves from one well to the next. The Windows-based software provides user-friendly features to acquire, display and store the tissue resistance measurements.

Automated...more

The REMS AutoSampler automates measurements of electrical resistance of transepithelial, transendothelial or Caco-2 cell membranes being grown to confluence on microporous filters of high throughput screening (HTS) 24- and 96-well microplates. It is a PC-controlled, tissue resistance measurement system that offers reproducibility, accuracy and flexibility for this kind of measurement. Automated measurement of tissue resistance in cell culture microplates provides the important advantages of speed, precision, decreased opportunity for contamination and the instant availability of measured resistance data on a computer. These measurements are useful in applications such as drug bioavailability studies and studies on the mechanisms of drug transport.

...more

Transepithelial Electrical Resistance TEER measurements is the most convenient, reliable and non-destructive method for evaluating and monitoring the growth of epithelial tissue cultures in vitro. The confluence of the cellular monolayer is quickly determined by a sharp increase in TEER. TEER measurement technology, which was first introduced by WPI in the mid-1980's, has since been perfected and expanded to include a range of TEER related manual and automatic instrumentation, including:

• EVOM² - Manual TEER measurement of epithelial cells in 24- and 96-well plates
• REMS AutoSampler - Automated system for High Throughput Screening (HTS)

EVOM2 Volt-Ohm Meter

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Now that your REMS system has arrived, are you trying to figure out how to set it up? Check out this 5-minute video where we show you how, step-by-step.

More Info

The EVOM2 is the classic, hand-held instrument for making Trans Epithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER) measurements. The REMS system adds a robot and data recording for automated TEER measurements. There may be times when you don't have a robot, but would still like to have the data recording capabilities of the REMS system. With a little ingenuity, you can do just that. Here, we will show you how you can add data recording to your standard EVOM2...more.

Epithelial and endothelial cells are known for their barrier function like selective permeability. Lung tissue is comprised of epithelial cellular layers, residing adjacent to endothelial layers and allowing exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between lung and blood. Currently, the biomedical research community’s major focus area is to understand the details...more

Selection of Electrodes for TEER Measurements

Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), also referred as the transepithelial resistance (TER) is used to monitor cellular health. TEER is comprised of measurements of the transcellular pathway (i.e., resistance due to an individual cell) and paracellular pathway (i.e., resistance due to the formation of the cellular junctions). TEER is commonly used to monitor cellular confluence. TEER values can indicate changes in the cellular monolayer permeability, showing the monolayer barrier function of cells such as, endothelial (brain microvessel) and epithelial (alveolar, kidney, and intestinal) cells. High TEER values generally reflect tighter cellular monolayers or cellular junctions (Lewis 1996, Matter and Balda 2003, Denker and Sabath 2011). A few major benefits of WPI TEER measurement systems are described below. The TEER values (electrophysiological analysis) can be combined with other analysis methods to further understand...more

With the development of a High Throughput Screening (HTS) protocol for faster drug discovery, a new line of cell culture filter plates have been introduced by several major cell culture insert manufacturers. These HTS plates normally have either 24 or 96 individual cell culture inserts "bonded" together as one plate so that it can be handled by a robot apparatus. In response to these developments, WPI has developed an automatic REMS system and a manual electrode, STX100, for TEER measurements using HTS plates.

• Designed for use with 24-well HTS plates (Corning Costar and BD Falcon) and with 96-well plates (Millipore and BD Falcon)
• Improved accuracy down to 5Ω
• Sterilize with EtO, alcohol or bactericide

STX100's design is based on the same reliable design principle as the universally...more