A videomicrographic low‐frequency movement analyser (VLMA) and perifusion chamber for recording and analysis of the physical behaviour of seminiferous tubules and other contractile tissues in vitro

SUMMARY A method has been developed for the recording and analysis of low frequency movements such as those of the surfaces of live seminiferous tubules. The method involves time‐lapse videomicrographic recording of the tubules followed by frame‐by‐frame measurement of the position of the edge of the tubule image in the video field. These measurements, which describe the movement of the tubule, may be analysed into a series of power spectra relating to sequential time periods through the recording. The group of spectrum plots for each tubule preparation can be plotted as isometric, pseudo three‐dimensional figures, with time represented on the s‐axis. The shapes of the spectra represent the contractile activity of the seminiferous tubules. Alterations in the level of activity and/or in the position of the frequency peaks, between control and experimentally treated preparations, are readily apparent. We also describe the construction and features of the perifusion chamber used with the VLMA.