Studies of thermal transduction mechanisms require a system for exposing cultured cells to precisely controlled and rapidly adjustable temperature changes. As an alternative to systems that rely on superfusion with pre-heated solutions, we present a method for locally varying temperature using a miniature black body radiator. Because of the small thermal mass, the stimulator has a very rapid frequency response. It can produce arbitrary waveforms that cover the entire range of temperatures over which mammalian heat receptors and nociceptors respond in vivo. By heating a minimal volume of solution, mechanical artifacts that might arise from thermal expansion of the tissue culture substrate are avoided.

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