MAIN FEATURES
The KEU-XE Experiment Unit is a device capable of providing an aquaria-like environment for investigating small aquatic Metazoa (e.g. Xenopus laevis or Zebra fish) or Algae. The KEU-XE features a feeding system relying on osmotic pump.
Two walls of the device consist of permeable membranes to guarantee gas homeostasis. The fluidics consisting of a peristaltic pump (external) lined with a filter with active charcoal allows to regenerate the water. The water recirculation rate is tunable and led by the KEU-XE controller electronics following a predefined timeline. At the end of the experiment the XENOPUS Experiment Unit can be stowed at controlled temperatures. Samples can be kept alive until re-entry on Earth.
HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS
| Fluidic systems | 1 |
| Fluidic actuators | 0 |
| Fluidic actuators type | PERISTALTIC PUMP (required externally) |
| Fluidic reservoirs | 1 |
| Levels of Containment | (LoC) 1 |
| Fluidic System Volume | ask for information |
| Features integrated | OSMOTIC PUMP |
| Automatic control | YES |
| On-Board Electronic Controller | NO |
| Experiment Unit size | ≈ 85x48x57 mm |
| Experiment Unit mass | ≈ 150 grams (fully assembled) |
| Fits into | multiple KEU-XE fits into KIC-DLM (2 LoC) |
| Compatible Controller | KAB |
QUALIFICATION STATUS
| QUALIFIED FOR | Manned Flight Carrier (Soyuz) |
| QUALIFIED FOR | Manned Flights – Use on ISS |
FUNCTION
So far, the KEU-XE Experiment Unit has been used to study Xenopous laevis tadpoles.
Each KEU-XE Experiment Unit (EU) backbone is made of semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer with excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties, biologically inert. The larger aquarium surfaces, respectively the rear and front wall, are made of a gas permeable membrane. The EU itself provides one level of containment (LoC) that is increased to three by using KIC-DLM containers class. Each aquarium is provided with an independent fluidic system.
On the whole, the fluidic system consists of a peristaltic pump, connecting silicon tubes, an aquarium, an osmotic pump, a filter acting as a waste control device and air permeable membranes for gas exchange. Basically, the force exerted by the peristaltic pump guarantees the fluid exchange within the aquarium; air permeable membranes guarantee gas homeostasis. An osmotic pump releases nutrients for Xenopous laevis tadpoles. A filtering device maintains water quality.
REFERENCE EXPERIMENTS
| 2008 | XENOPUS | PI | Eberhard Horn (Univ. of Ulm) – Martin Gabriel (Univ. of Göttingen) |